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Mayor says Tenant Health will close level‑2 special care nursery in June; city requests local hearing
Summary
Framingham Mayor reported at the Feb. 25 City Council meeting that Tenant Health plans to close its level‑2b special care nursery in June, leaving families to travel to Worcester or Boston for higher‑level neonatal care.
Framingham Mayor reported at the Feb. 25 City Council meeting that Tenant Health has notified MetroWest Medical Center it will close its level‑2b special care nursery in June, leaving the hospital with a level‑1 well‑baby nursery for low‑risk deliveries. The mayor said MetroWest performs about 500 deliveries a year and that roughly 50 of those births require level‑2 neonatal care, which would now require families to travel to Worcester or Boston for higher‑level services.
The mayor said he sent a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health asking that the required state hearing on the closure be held in Framingham so residents can attend locally. Under the procedure he described, Tenet/tenant notified the Commonwealth of the planned change on Feb. 12 and a public hearing must be scheduled within 60 days of that notice.
City councilors pressed for active outreach to the legislative delegation and for the administration to press state officials for oversight. Councilor Long described the situation as “disturbing” and urged legislative oversight. Councilor Cannon and others said the change could create a cascading reduction in maternity services if parents shift deliveries to other hospitals. Councilors requested updates at future meetings and thanked the mayor for contacting the state.
The mayor also reported that Tenet will not renew the lease for the wellness center on Route 9, with services (except the pool) relocating either to the hospital or to 61 Lincoln St. The mayor said he and staff have been in contact with the Mass Nurses Association and the city’s legislative delegation.
No council vote or formal order was recorded about the hospital at the Feb. 25 meeting; the mayor described the letter to the Department of Public Health as an administrative step. Councilors repeatedly urged the administration and the delegation to seek state action and to provide updates to the council.
The council will hear further updates as the state schedules its hearing and as MetroWest and Tenet finalize operational decisions.
