THE need for new maternity facilities to replace a nearly 80-year-old complex in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, was highlighted when local MP Rebecca Pow met Health Minister Will Quince.

Ms Pow organised a roundtable session with the Minister and the senior leadership team of the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.

She said: “The purpose of the meeting was to highlight the many successes achieved by the trust, including their merger, as well as to raise the range of ongoing challenges they are facing.”

Trust chairman Colin Drummond was among the attendees together with representatives covering midwifery, primary care, secondary care, mental health and learning difficulties, and strategy and development.

The discussions followed a meeting last month which Ms Pow organised with Social Care Minister Helen Whately and Mr Drummond.

Ms Pow said: “I was so pleased to facilitate this meeting to highlight how Somerset Foundation Trust are putting patient health at the forefront while minimising bureaucracy following their recent merger of acute, community, and mental health services.

“We were pleased to update the Minister regarding a range of the trust’s success stories as well as stressing to him the need to continue with plans for the upgrade of the whole hospital site, including the antiquated maternity unit.”

Mr Drummond said: “Organisationally, Somerset NHS is leading the way in England but our maternity centre dates back to the Second World War.

“We need Ministerial backing to replace it.”