Martin & Hamilton, a Northern Ireland-based construction firm, has commenced construction on a new Midwifery-Led Unit (AMLU) at Antrim Area Hospital.
The £5.7 million scheme is scheduled for completion in early 2026 and represents a key investment in maternity services within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
The new unit will provide three birthing suites, located separately from the main maternity ward, with a dedicated entrance.
David Hamilton, Managing Director of Martin & Hamilton, said: “Our team is enthusiastic to begin construction of this much-needed facility. As a local company, we are delighted to be building quality healthcare facilities for our community.”
The £5.7 million scheme is scheduled for completion in early 2026
Importantly, it will retain close proximity to on-site obstetric and consultant-led services, ensuring immediate clinical support remains available when required.
The AMLU development addresses a longstanding service gap within the Northern Trust area.
Suzanne Pullins, the Trust’s Executive Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Women’s Services, said: “Unlike the four other HSC Trusts in the region, the Northern Trust has no midwifery-led unit currently, so this is a really welcome step closer to delivering improved experiences for women in our community. We’re very excited to see construction get underway.
“This is a really positive development and fits with the vision we have for our maternity services. It is an important project for our Trust and another example of how we remain committed to improving experience and outcomes for our patients. I’m pleased that this unit will allow women to have more choice around their maternity care pathways and create equity across the entire region.”
The new unit will provide three birthing suites
The establishment of the AMLU at Antrim was a requirement of Permanent Secretary Peter May when he approved the recommendation of the Trust Board to consolidate all hospital births at Antrim Area Hospital.
Since July 2023, all inpatient births in the Northern Trust area have taken place at Antrim, while Causeway Hospital continues to provide antenatal and postnatal services.
Top image: Members of the design and construction team of a new Alongside Midwifery-Led Unit joined Northern Trust Chief Executive Jennifer Welsh, Alison Renfrew, Assistant Director for Capital Development NHSCT, and Suzanne Pullins, Executive Director of Nursing, Paediatrics and Women’s Services, to mark the start of construction of the new unit at Antrim Area Hospital.