Two MPs have visited the maternity unit at Taunton’s Musgrove Park Hospital to witness first-hand the serious issues it is facing.

Gideon Amos (Taunton and Wellington) and Adam Dance (Yeovil) are both campaigning for improved maternity services across Somerset.

A new maternity and children’s unit at Musgrove Park has been included in the government’s funding programme – but isn’t scheduled to happen until 2033.

Meanwhile, the closure of the Yeovil Hospital’s maternity and special care baby unit has increased the pressure on Musgrove.

After the visit, Mr Amos said: “It was brilliant to meet such dedicated and hard-working midwives and medics but they shouldn't have to contest with 30° heat in summer nor with rain coming into the building in winter.

“That's not good enough for local mums and babies and it's not good enough for our NHS staff either.

“Getting Musgrove Park's much needed new maternity and children's unit into the top two tiers of UK hospital projects was a major achievement, but the start date of 2033 is far too late.

“The government must use its upcoming budget to provide urgent funding to tackle the hopelessly outdated condition of Musgrove's maternity buildings – they were built as a temporary measure for the US Army in the 1940s but are still in use today.

"I'm also right behind Adam's work to get maternity services back open at Yeovil - that's the right solution for all involved.

"Getting our NHS back off its knees and delivering better for patients was, and remains, my number one priority since the General Election.”

Mr Dance added: "It was important to see first-hand just how stretched the maternity team at Musgrove Park Hospital is.

"The closure of Yeovil’s unit has had a huge impact, and staff here are doing an incredible job under difficult circumstances.

"But this situation is not sustainable. We cannot expect mothers, babies and staff to keep bearing the brunt of government delays.

"Somerset needs investment now – not in 2033.

"I’ll keep pressing for a clear plan to restore safe, accessible maternity care across our county.”