Bristol Select Board agrees to back preservation of labor and delivery at Miles Campus

Staff told the board they received an email from Laura Richards and supporting letters from the Lincoln County commissioners and the Damasdada Select Board asking Bristol to pass a municipal resolution in support of keeping labor-and-delivery services at the Miles Campus of MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital. The chair said the town can sign the resolution and draft a supporting letter for next week.

Board discussion focused on the reasons hospitals curtail services in rural areas — staff recruitment and finances were both mentioned. A participant argued that staffing shortages (not just budget) have driven service cuts elsewhere: "First, it was money. Now it's availability," one commenter said, summarizing community concern that physician availability is being cited as the reason services are cut.

The Chair moved that the board sign the resolution supporting preservation of labor-and-delivery services at MaineHealth Lincoln Hospital, Miles Campus; S3 seconded. The motion was adopted; the transcript records the motion, second and the board calling "all those in favor," but it does not provide a numerical roll-call or a detailed vote tally.

Key details: - Origin: request and email from Laura Richards; letters of support cited from Lincoln County commissioners and the Damasdada Select Board. - Local context: participants noted about 130 births at Miles Campus last year (quoted during discussion) and discussed the effect of losing labor-and-delivery services on other local health services and on retaining young families. - Next steps: staff will draft and circulate a letter of support and bring the resolution or signature back to the board for formal signing next week.

The board did not take any binding action to compel the hospital; the recorded action at this meeting was a municipal resolution of support and an agreement to prepare a letter to accompany it.