Construction begins on £5.7m Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit at Antrim Area Hospital

Members of the design and construction team of a new Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit joined Northern Trust Chief Executive Jennifer Welsh, Alison Renfrew, Assistant Director for Capital Development NHSCT, and Suzanne Pullins, Executive Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Women’s Services, to mark the start of construction of the new unit at Antrim Area Hospital.

Construction has officially commenced on a £5.7 million Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit (AMLU) at Antrim Area Hospital, a significant development aimed at enhancing maternity care options for women in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area.

The project, which is expected to be completed by early 2026, marks a pivotal step in improving healthcare equity across the region.

The new unit will provide three additional birthing suites, separate from the main maternity ward, with a dedicated entrance to ensure a calm and supportive environment for expectant mothers.

Despite its distinct setting, the AMLU will maintain seamless access to the hospital’s obstetric and consultant-led services, ensuring comprehensive care when needed.

Alison Renfrew, Assistant Director for Capital Development in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, expressed enthusiasm for the project’s launch.

“We’re delighted to see construction begin on this new unit,” she said. “The build will create three additional birthing suites which will be separate from the main maternity ward with its own separate entrance, but, importantly, women will continue to have access to the on-site obstetric and consultant-led services if needed.”

The development addresses a long-standing gap in maternity services within the Northern Trust, which, unlike the four other Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts in Northern Ireland, has not previously had a midwifery-led unit. This has limited the choices available to expectant mothers in the region.

(L-R) Diane Power, Head of Capital Development NHSCT, Alison Renfrew, Assistant Director for Capital Development NHSCT, Northern Trust Chief Executive Jennifer Welsh, and Executive Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Women’s Services, Suzanne Pullins on site at the new Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit as construction gets underway at Antrim Area Hospital.

Suzanne Pullins, the Trust’s Executive Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Women’s Services, highlighted the importance of the project in achieving parity with other areas.

“Unlike the four other HSC Trusts in the region, the Northern Trust has no midwifery-led unit currently, so this is a really welcome step closer to delivering improved experiences for women in our community,” Pullins said.

“We’re very excited to see construction get underway. This is a really positive development and fits with the vision we have for our maternity services. It is an important project for our Trust and another example of how we remain committed to improving experience and outcomes for our patients. I’m pleased that this unit will allow women to have more choice around their maternity care pathways and create equity across the entire region.”

The AMLU project was a key requirement set by Permanent Secretary Peter May when he approved the consolidation of all hospital births at Antrim Area Hospital in July 2023. While Causeway Hospital continues to provide antenatal and postnatal care, all inpatient births now take place at Antrim, making the new unit a critical addition to the hospital’s maternity services.

The construction work is being carried out by Martin & Hamilton, a local company with a strong commitment to improving community healthcare facilities.

David Hamilton, Managing Director of Martin & Hamilton, shared his team’s pride in the project.

“Our team is enthusiastic to begin construction of this much needed facility,” he said. “As a local company, we are delighted to be building quality healthcare facilities for our community.”

The development is expected to enhance the maternity care experience by offering women greater choice and a more personalised birthing environment. The AMLU will provide a low-intervention, midwife-led setting for low-risk pregnancies, while ensuring immediate access to specialist care if complications arise.

To minimise disruption during construction, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has assured patients and visitors that any diversions around the Antrim hospital site will be clearly signposted.

This £5.7 million investment underscores the Trust’s commitment to improving women’s health services and ensuring equitable access to high-quality maternity care across Northern Ireland.

As the project progresses, it is set to deliver lasting benefits for expectant mothers and their families in the region.

For further information about maternity services at Antrim Area Hospital, visit the Northern Health and Social Care Trust website.