9
A hospital's birthing service and special care baby unit could remain shut for more than six months after a watchdog flagged safety concerns for babies and children.
Yeovil District Hospital is closing the units on Monday 19 May at 17:00 BST after it was served a warning notice by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for failing to meet staffing regulations in its paediatrics service.
Dr Melanie Iles, chief medical officer at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said it was "really hard to say whether it will only be six months, or not" as the hospital is "really struggling" with a shortage of senior doctors.
She said the closure was needed, but there was no evidence individual children had been harmed.
