A three-month public consultation into the future of east Kent's maternity services closes this Friday.

More than 340 people have submitted their responses since the public consultation, led by NHS Kent and Medway and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, began in October.

A final decision is due at the end of March.

The preferred option in the consultation is to stop births at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital and Dover's Buckland Hospital, but retain midwife-led antenatal care, day clinics and postnatal support.

A new midwife-led service will be opened at the QEQM Hospital in Margate, while a similar set up will exist at Ashford's William Harvey Hospital.

Mothers-to-be from Canterbury will have to travel to either Margate or Ashford to give birth, unless they are deemed a low enough risk to give birth at home.

Since the proposals were first revealed last June, the Kentish Gazette has run the Save Our Baby Unit campaign to highlight the demand for retaining a fully functional birthing centre at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital.

A 453-strong text petition was handed in to NHS bosses last October along with a portfolio of all the articles and letters published since the campaign began.

Sara Warner, assistant director of citizen engagement at NHS Kent and Medway said: “We would like to thank everyone for their responses so far.

"We have had some really good constructive discussions at our public meetings and when we have visited groups in the community, as well as numerous letters and emails.

“All these comments, plus the official responses to the consultation document will be collated by an independent research team at Greenwich University.”

Full details on all the options in the review can be found at www.easternandcoastalkent.nhs.uk/maternityreview

The consultation document is also available from GP surgeries, children’s centres and maternity centres or by calling 0800 085 6606 and emailing eck-pct.maternityreview@nhs.net

Follow the latest on the Save Our Baby Unit campaign on Facebook and Twitter.