GOVERNMENT health minister Dr Dan Poulter has called for Clacton Hospital’s maternity unit to remain open 24/7 as a midwife-led unit.

Dr Poulter, who is an NHS hospital doctor, as well as an MP in Suffolk, joined Conservative candidate Giles Watling at the hospital as part of the Tory by-election campaign.

The visit came following an announcement by health bosses in July that Clacton’s threatened maternity unit will remain open.

A consultation, which has been suspended during the by-election, will see mums asked if they want a midwife-led unit or an on-demand centre.

In March, staff shortages at Colchester General Hospital led Colchester Hospitals Trust to temporarily shut the 24/7 Clacton and Harwich units for all births.

They were reopened on an “on demand” basis in July, meaning once a mum has given birth in Clacton or Harwich, they are either discharged when ready or sent to Colchester General for more care.

“I know as a doctor and a health minister the way forward is to have maternity units as we have here, run by midwives,” said Dr Poulter.

"It’s good news now that we’ve got a fully functioning maternity unit providing high-quality personalised one-to-one care for so many women in Clacton.

“I see a very strong future for this maternity unit and that’s supported by the fact that as a Government we’ve managed to train an extra 1,800 midwives over the last 3 1/2 years to ensure that units like Clacton can have enough staff to support women through pregnancy, delivery and the post-natal period."