Mums are teaming up to challenge the NHS to re-open a baby clinic as their children may miss out on “vital” health checks without it.

East Barnet Health Centre re-opened last year after a patients’ campaign but without the baby clinic, meaning mothers have to travel to the already-crowded Vale Drive Health Centre in High Barnet.

Charlotte Gosling, a mother living in East Barnet, has started a petition to the NHS to reopen the clinic which was already gathered almost 200 signatures.

She said: “Our children are denied the chance to easily access the checks these clinics provide and parents and carers cannot get any information or advice they may need as easily as they should be able to.

“We miss out on the chance to have our children weighed, measured, get advice on weaning, breast feeding and so on.

“It is not always possible or realistic to travel and use the already over-used clinic on a Monday at Vale Drive.”

Labour councillors backing the mothers’ petition said the baby clinic is not in place at the clinic in East Barnet Road is due to higher rents being charged to GPs to provide the service.

East Barnet councillor Philip Cohen said: “It is scandalous a much-needed mother and baby clinic is being denied to local people.

“This is all because the NHS is under-funded and looking to squeeze more cash out of GP surgeries.

“The clinic must be re-opened as soon as possible.”

Nia Panayiotopoulos, mother to three young children, said there is an empty room at centre where health visitors want to run a clinic.

She said the cost of not picking up issues with babies will be far greater later on if left.

A statement from the Central London Community Healthcare Trust (CLCH) said: “The reason for the delay in our services returning to the health centre is due to the Department of Health implementing changes to NHS Property Services charging arrangements which are likely to cause an increase in the cost of the space.

“CLCH are awaiting the revised rental charges from the landlord.

“Once this information is received we will then be able to approve the costs and instruct our solicitors to agree the lease.”

The petition can be signed here.