Unless Grantham's midwife managed unit increases from 100 births a year to 400 within two years, the service could close altogether.

Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust announced the plan in its consultation document, Shaping Health for Lincolnshire, on Wednesday.

The PCT says it wants to give women the choice of where they have their babies and it will be up to them whether the service continues.

The document said: "In order to sustain local access people will have to use the services to make sure they are viable.
"The number of actual deliveries at Grantham Hospital is low despite the provision of a high quality service."
First-time mums and those facing complications are usually sent to Lincoln Hospital instead of the midwife-led service at Grantham.

In the 18 months following the end of the public consultation in August, the service will have to carry out an extra 300 deliveries, either in hospital or at home, to prove it is needed.

MP for Grantham Quentin Davies said: "I very much hope that we can preserve a first-rate midwifery unit and it will need to be used a lot more. I will fight hard to preserve it provided there is a major increase in its use."
Health Scrutiny Committee for Lincolnshire member John Hurst said: "Over 10 years now they have turned deaf ears to the problems of accessibility of urgently needed services in the rural areas.
"The reality of the fact is the safest services in the world cease to be safe if we can't get to them in time."
Grantham Hospital Defence Committee said it would continue to press for the reinstatement of full maternity services at Grantham Hospital.

* Should the maternity service stay in Grantham regardless of how much it is used? Tell us what you think: comment@granthamjournal.co.uk