The figures, obtained by the Conservatives, show that one in 10 trusts closed their doors to women giving birth more than 10 times in the last year. Larger maternity units were the most likely to close.

Of the trusts that closed, 26 per cent had less than 3,000 births last year, the minimum for an “efficient” service, according to the government.

42% of NHS Trusts providing maternity services had to turn away women in labour last year because they were full.

New statistics reveal that nearly one in ten Trusts had to close more than ten times, with the Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Trust shutting its doors 39 times in 2007 alone.

Andrew Lansley said the figures showed maternity services are already “overstretched”, making a mockery of Labour’s plans to close maternity units.

The Shadow Health Secretary attacked Labour’s plans to cut smaller, local maternity services and concentrate them in big units:

“Women don’t want to have to travel miles to give birth. And they certainly don’t want to have to travel even further because they’re turned away by the hospital of their choice.”

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj;_id=143112