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Put baby's health above football rivalry, say East Lancashire stars

9:00pm Sunday 5th September 2010 in


HEALTH chiefs have enlisted East Lancashire's biggest football stars in a bid to persuade supporters it doesn’t matter what town their children are born in.

A campaign has been launched to convince Rovers fans that there is nothing wrong with seeing their babies born in Burnley as medics tell families to have their child born in the best location for mum and baby.

Under revamped services expectant mums have been given the option of a birth at home, in a birth centre or in a hospital setting.

However, from November there will be no births at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Women whose medical histories mean their birth is likely to be complex or who would prefer to give birth in hospital will be cared for in a new £32million Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre at Burnley General Hospital.

Those expected to have 'low risk' pregnancies will be offered a birth at home or in one of three midwife-led birth centres, including one in the new Burnley maternity unit, one at the new health hub in Rawtenstall, and one at a new £900,000 building in Park Lee Road, Blackburn.

David Dunn and Graham Alexander urged football fans to put tribal rivalry to one side and make use of the 'fantastic' facilities at Blackburn Birthing Centre, which opens tomorrow.

Clarets captain Graham Alexander said: “It's a great message and that is why both David and I are supporting it.

“No matter what your football allegiance or the rivalry between the two teams, what is right for both sets of fans is that mum and baby get the best treatment.

"Hopefully people will take that on board and do the right thing.”

Simon Hill, associate medical director for family care and consultant gynaecologist, said the trust wanted “to overcome the historic Blackburn and Burnley divide”.

He said: “The presence of David and Graham at the opening of the birth centre was incredibly significant.”

Comments(26)

ste.g says...
9:40pm Sun 5 Sep 10

firstly let me say i am not a football fan of either club but any fool including myself knows that any hardened rovers fan would rather die than let a child of theirs be born in burnley,so the stars are flogging a dead horse on this one and well they know it.

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cutthebull says...
10:24pm Sun 5 Sep 10

I hope East Lancs trust fully informed the players about the risks involved for both mother & child to have babies in birthing centres? Because I'm sure they wouldn't have done such a promotional article if they knew the facts. I just don't understand why the LET is not looking deeper at this situation & exposing the facts that this is a very dangerous situation that the people of Blackburn are going to be in.

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Abbysdadgary says...
11:44pm Sun 5 Sep 10

To Quote "Meanwhile those expected to have 'low risk' pregnancies will be offered a birth at home or in one of three midwife-led birth centres, including one in the new maternity unit, one at the new health hub in Rossendale, and one at a new £900,000 building in Park Lee Road, Blackburn."
No Pregnancy is low risk and every birth could have uncomprehendable difficulties that these birthing centres could not deal with. Why anyone would even consider not to give birth in a hospital because of football rivalry is totally insane. Think of the mother and unborn baby's wellfare.

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suttydog says...
6:23am Mon 6 Sep 10

if a puppy is born in a stable it dont make it a horse

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franzy1875 says...
7:21am Mon 6 Sep 10

i don't see a problem as long as they count the fingures so we no whos who

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happycyclist says...
7:52am Mon 6 Sep 10

Why is there no maternity ward in a massive new hospital serving a town of over 100,000 people? (plus another 40,000 from Darwen)

David Dunn and Graham Alexander should be asking these sort of questions instead of blindly going about their PR duties for their clubs.

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daan says...
8:23am Mon 6 Sep 10

My wife is expecting our 3rd child in december so were being told this one will be born in burnley, im a blackburn rovers fan but football rivalry isnt that important, I can handle my child being born in burnley. The problem is weather or not I can get there in time, I have done a test run from my house in blackburn and it takes 35 mins, when my wife goes into labour we will have to call a relative to come and babysit our first two which could take 15 to 20 mins before they get there plus the 35 mins it takes to get to burnley general so best part of an hour from contractions. this worries me, a lot. also for a woman in labour to sit upright in a car with her seatbelt on for half an hour is going to be very uncomfortable. going to check this new birthing centre out this week. my wife is very worried, do we go local birth centre and hope there are no complications ? or do we jump on m65 and prey that I dont have to deliver it on a hard shoulder outside hapton. this should be the last thing an expectant mother should have to worry about. why the hell cant we have a decent maternity ward at blackburn general hospital ? maybe to most normal people football rivalry seems silly, but for most football fans in blackburn this is not the issue. If the NHS bosses or whoever is listening this has got sod all to do with footie, what do you take the people of lancashire for ?, do you think were bloody stupid ?

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your granny says...
8:56am Mon 6 Sep 10

daan wrote:
My wife is expecting our 3rd child in december so were being told this one will be born in burnley, im a blackburn rovers fan but football rivalry isnt that important, I can handle my child being born in burnley. The problem is weather or not I can get there in time, I have done a test run from my house in blackburn and it takes 35 mins, when my wife goes into labour we will have to call a relative to come and babysit our first two which could take 15 to 20 mins before they get there plus the 35 mins it takes to get to burnley general so best part of an hour from contractions. this worries me, a lot. also for a woman in labour to sit upright in a car with her seatbelt on for half an hour is going to be very uncomfortable. going to check this new birthing centre out this week. my wife is very worried, do we go local birth centre and hope there are no complications ? or do we jump on m65 and prey that I dont have to deliver it on a hard shoulder outside hapton. this should be the last thing an expectant mother should have to worry about. why the hell cant we have a decent maternity ward at blackburn general hospital ? maybe to most normal people football rivalry seems silly, but for most football fans in blackburn this is not the issue. If the NHS bosses or whoever is listening this has got sod all to do with footie, what do you take the people of lancashire for ?, do you think were bloody stupid ?
Your letter really does sum this up. Imagine if you had no car and only a little bit of money. You will have to keep £20 kept to one side just to pay the taxi fare. The NHS have really screwed this up and even though they know it, they won't admit to it. My daughter went in for a normal birth about 10 years ago and that ended up as an emergency c section, so I can understand where your concerns are.

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daan says...
9:08am Mon 6 Sep 10

Oh well if David Dunn was stood outside then that changes everything !!! Question to NHS health chiefs, if there was no such thing as Burnley FC or BRFC, do you think people from blackburn would be fully embracing this ??? what a brilliant idea just one problem the people of blackburn are backward and cant see past their "tribal" rivalry ! (sarcasm) what an insult.

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your granny says...
9:13am Mon 6 Sep 10

what a good point daan, the NHS are treating us all like idiots. The people of burnley don't mind coming to the BRI, its the bloody travelling that is annoying. It's the crippling PFI which is affecting the NHS service in this part of lancashire and its the people of these towns which it is affecting.

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useyourhead says...
9:23am Mon 6 Sep 10

your granny wrote:
DEO VOLENTE wrote: Where a person is born has an immense and overiding influence on their life. As we all know under "New Labour" the gap between rich and poor grew to unprecedented levels. "New Labour" abandoned the true working class people of the U.K. "New Labour" prefer to support, bankroll and condone negative backward, "medieval cultures" "religions" and "people" from all over the world, rather than protect and strenghten the culture of indigenous people of the U.K. "New Labour" have infected and corrupted the U.K. with their legacy. That is a legacy of Politically disorientated, Spendaholic, Champagne Socialist, Politically (in) correct policies. "New Labour" are responsible for the economic and mnoral decline of the U.K. We must never let them back into office. Are you listening Mr "Nihiliband? Deus Vobiscum
Es stultior asino. you really need help. please contact social services and ask for a section 2 assessment for under the Mental health act. This constant anti-liebour drivel is becoming an everyday event and i am really concerned about your ability to know what is real and what the voices are saying.
he has shot himself in the foot, as soon as i see DEO i continue to scroll, if he ever did have a valid point most folk wouldn't see it anyway lol. never read his posts now.

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caballo says...
9:35am Mon 6 Sep 10

Right on the money from sutty-dog !!
How moronic can people be?

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daan says...
11:31am Mon 6 Sep 10

Simon Hill, Associate medical director for family care and cosultant gynecologist, said the trust wanted "to overcome the historic Blackburn and burnley divide". (the one made out of 12 miles of tarmac ?)
He said "the presence of David and Graham at the opening of the birth centre was incredibly significant". (not that significant really the M65 is still there and Blackburn and Burnley are still 3 junctions appart !). Oh blackburn fans will still hate burnley and Burnley fans will still hate Blackburn so not really sure that this has achieved anything.

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Abu Qurfan says...
12:35pm Mon 6 Sep 10

The safety of the mother and child should be paramount however as daan has pointed out the lack of a maternity unit in Blackburn will increase the risk of a safe birth due to the time it will take to get to Burnley. The bean-counters are at it again and are saying to hell with people's well-being. These misers have duped Messrs Dunn and Alexander into playing along with their charade.

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ann786 says...
1:21pm Mon 6 Sep 10

Well, i for 1 think this set up is a real farce.
Blackburn Royal hospital was supposed to host the best maternity and prem births unit within Blackburn Hyndburn and the Ribble valley.
How many infant deaths will there be before the pathetic nhs do gooders realise the distance Blackburn mothers will have to travel is far more life threatening than any football fans dislike of where the child is born.

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sharonAccy says...
2:24pm Mon 6 Sep 10

daan wrote:
My wife is expecting our 3rd child in december so were being told this one will be born in burnley, im a blackburn rovers fan but football rivalry isnt that important, I can handle my child being born in burnley. The problem is weather or not I can get there in time, I have done a test run from my house in blackburn and it takes 35 mins, when my wife goes into labour we will have to call a relative to come and babysit our first two which could take 15 to 20 mins before they get there plus the 35 mins it takes to get to burnley general so best part of an hour from contractions. this worries me, a lot. also for a woman in labour to sit upright in a car with her seatbelt on for half an hour is going to be very uncomfortable. going to check this new birthing centre out this week. my wife is very worried, do we go local birth centre and hope there are no complications ? or do we jump on m65 and prey that I dont have to deliver it on a hard shoulder outside hapton. this should be the last thing an expectant mother should have to worry about. why the hell cant we have a decent maternity ward at blackburn general hospital ? maybe to most normal people football rivalry seems silly, but for most football fans in blackburn this is not the issue. If the NHS bosses or whoever is listening this has got sod all to do with footie, what do you take the people of lancashire for ?, do you think were bloody stupid ?
Daan I feel for your concerns - i do however hope that in reality everything goes without an hitch. I dont have the intention of having any more children myself but the two pregnancies I had from first contraction to delivery of baby for each less than 2 and half hours, agreed thats not the norm but still if I had had to travel to Burnley (only from Accy), with the inaccessible route to the hospital and also allowing for babysitters etc, chances are I would of never made it.

Not sure though that the powers that be care, I am a rovers fan but thats not the issue, cant see how one hospital can cope with all the potential emergencies

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SoapBox says...
2:38pm Mon 6 Sep 10

My son was born 5 weeks early by emergency caesarian in 1998 at Burnley General Hospital, my oldest daughter was also born at BGH in 2001 and my youngest daughter was born at Blackburn's hospital in 2008, she arrived 5 weeks early and spent her first week on this planet in Blackburn's ICU.
I found the facilities and staff at both hospitals incredible and would urge any mother to give birth in hospital where possible in case of unforseen circumstances.
Any parent who's deny their child the best start in life,whether that be in Burnley or Blackburn because of a silly game of football doesn't deserve to be a parent.

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blackburner says...
3:33pm Mon 6 Sep 10

there is no way i would even contemplate having my child born in burnley. never
the poor child would have six finger & a mum as a dad, no thankyou, i'd sooner the child be born in a mosque

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mikebuk says...
3:54pm Mon 6 Sep 10

I recall hearing that in the days when to play for Yorkshire CCC you needed to be born in that county, fathers who wanted their sons to play for them one day would move heaven and earth to make sure they would be.

I believe they would have their sons take strange tests to make it so. I think I saw one once on Jim'll Fix It.

The Blackburn / Burnley issue is nothing new.

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your granny says...
4:05pm Mon 6 Sep 10

blackburner wrote:
there is no way i would even contemplate having my child born in burnley. never the poor child would have six finger & a mum as a dad, no thankyou, i'd sooner the child be born in a mosque
blackburner, would that mean that you where the child's father or not, if your mums your dad? maybe you got cuckcood by a burnley fellow when you where out at the pub?

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mrs wegga says...
5:01pm Mon 6 Sep 10

Finally top class facilities !!...My son was born in liverpool in 2007 at the fantastic womens hospital.He was transfered to RBH when he was 6 weeks old.I was shocked at how bad the Neonatal Unit was and the overworked staff didn't give a damm about the babies or parents.
Let's hope this is the start of a new era,where the staff actually care.

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Savaged says...
6:16pm Mon 6 Sep 10

Maybe if Burnley did not have to go on the birth certificate i would give it more consideration. But as that is not the case i would risk the life of my unborn baby and myself rather than give birth in Burnley.

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debs231 says...
6:56pm Mon 6 Sep 10

i am pregnant and due in december, i live in blackburn and i dont follow football at all, however i am miffed that the maternity ward at bburn has moved to burnley and the reason for this is simple, im worried about travelling for half an hour, in labour and this isnt my first baby and have even been advised by my midwife to go to the birthing centre in blackburn and NOT to burnley because the baby is likely to come very quickly.
putting your babys health above football rivalry?? how about putting babys health above spending cuts??
i even plan to go and look around burnley anyway ive heard its really nice there but i think i will take my midwifes advice and my own preference to have my baby born at blackburn , for health reasons!! its either a quick 10 mins in the car or 35 mins to burnley. dont fancy giving birth on the hard shoulder thanks.
oh and i cant believe sum idiot has even stated that theyd rather have there baby born in a mosque than at burnley! thats offensive on many levels and i really hope your on your own with that comment, but i doubt it sadly.

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masterdebater.co.uk says...
12:19pm Tue 7 Sep 10

I occasionally feel as if I have heard it all.
Surely that must now be the case.

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skinmanbfc says...
4:19pm Tue 7 Sep 10

seems to me the boots on the other foot now.. they take away burnleys a and e and make people risk their lives by travelling a long journey esp if you live in colne or further a field. now pregnant women have to travel to burnley. now why the powers that be cant leave things as they are is beyond me, but i bet there were no people from bburn area complaining when it was the burnley folk having to do the travelling for the a and e

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Forever Rover says...
1:52pm Mon 13 Sep 10

I'm Rovers Fan and will not be taking my wife to the nearest birthing unit - I will be taking her straight to Burnley General where they will receive the best care. The simple reason for this is the birthing units staff and equipment are inadequate should serious complications arise, which would then require an emergency transfer to hospital. Yes they are a wonderful idea when all goes swimmingly and you just pop a kid out like on TV but I live in the real world and I don't want to be on the unfortunate end of a tragedy that could have been averted.
My wife and baby's health are all I care for and having Burnley on a birth certificate does not bother me in the slightest.

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