Decision follows DPH finding that the Methuen Birthing Center is an essential service “necessary for preserving access and health status within the hospital’s service area.”
MNA Calls on DPH to Monitor Care at Lawrence Hospital Following Closure
METHUEN, Mass., June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On Tuesday, administrators at Merrimack Health informed nurses represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) on its Methuen Hospital campus that they will cease admissions to the hospital’s Maternity and Newborn Service as of June 29, moving up the planned closure of the Birthing Center by more than a month. The decision by Merrimack Health to prematurely close the unit was made despite recent findings by the Department of Public Health (DPH) that the program is an essential service “necessary for preserving access and health status within the hospital’s service area” and despite the hospital’s failure to adequately address nurses’ and DPH’s concerns regarding the readiness of Lawrence General Hospital to safely absorb those patients. The full letter from DPH can be found here.
The program, which has served Methuen and surrounding communities for more than 75 years, was slated for closure by Merrimack Health on August 1, with patients served by the center then expected to receive care at the system’s Lawrence Hospital maternity unit. The closure was announced on April 1, and last month DPH held the legally required public hearing. DPH then issued its finding on the essential role of the Methuen program, while also citing concerns raised by nurses, including this key section:
Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital’s State of Readiness: Based on testimony presented at the hearing on May 26, 2026, commenters expressed concern regarding the current state of Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital and its readiness to take on additional patients. Specifically, commenters expressed concerns regarding the availability of labor and delivery operating rooms, the status of repairs needed, and the readiness of Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital to care for additional patients without compromising the well-being of the existing patient population. The plan which you are required to submit must include information on steps being taken to ensure Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital is prepared for the demands of increased volume resulting from the elimination of Maternal and Newborn Services at the Hospital. Understanding there is seasonal variability in the volume of deliveries, please submit information in the plan about how Merrimack Health Lawrence Hospital will be prepared for the highest volume months.
The “plan” cited above was required to be submitted by Merrimack Health to DPH within 15 days. While the MNA has not seen Merrimack’s response to DPH, the MNA and the nurses, who met with management on Monday, can report that none of the preparations cited by DPH have been addressed. The nurses remain deeply concerned about the safety of patients to be transferred to this new service, particularly given that the summer months can be among the busiest for hospital maternity units. They also point to management’s treatment of the Methuen nurses during this process and the lack of communication and involvement.
“We are deeply saddened and frustrated by the hospital’s decision to close the Birthing Center a month earlier than originally announced. While some staff members had already moved on to other organizations, many remained committed to seeing things through until the planned August 1 closure. People arranged their lives around that date and delayed starting new jobs because they wanted to continue caring for our patients in Methuen for as long as possible,” explained Karen Powers, RN, a longtime nurse at the Methuen Center and co-chair of the MNA Local Bargaining Unit for the nurses on the Methuen campus.
“To be told that our last scheduled case will be Monday—just six short days after the announcement—is unacceptable. We were told this was due to concerns about safe staffing, yet no one truly knows whether staffing would have been inadequate because staff had not even been given the opportunity to commit to additional shifts to ensure safe coverage. Many of us were prepared to do whatever was necessary to continue serving our patients until the originally announced closure date,” Powers explained. “Our hearts are broken for our coworkers, and more importantly for our patients, who expected to deliver their babies in Methuen with the team they know and trust. During what should be one of the happiest times in their lives, they are instead being told that they must go elsewhere for their delivery.”
The closure of the Methuen unit is the 13th such closure over the last 15 years, leaving many communities in the Commonwealth with inadequate access to appropriate maternity care. In nearly every case, DPH issued similar findings that these services were essential to the public health of those communities, yet the agency lacks the legal power to stop these closures. In every case, DPH has required providers to submit a plan and commit to alternative procedures to ensure the safety of the patients impacted by these closures. Unfortunately, in most cases there is little or no follow-up to ensure that patients and communities are protected.
MNA Calls on DPH to Closely Monitor Care at Lawrence Campus Following Closure
In the wake of Merrimack Health’s premature closure of this service without implementing the changes needed at the Lawrence Hospital campus, the MNA calls on DPH to closely monitor the care provided over the coming months, including the regular placement of DPH staff at the facility to ensure the safety of mothers and newborns placed at risk by this decision.
“From the very beginning, this process has been handled poorly. The uncertainty, lack of communication, and constant changes have taken a tremendous toll on staff and ultimately contributed to many experienced nurses seeking employment elsewhere. After everything this team has endured and sacrificed, our patients and staff are left with such an abrupt and disappointing ending,” Powers said.
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SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association
