The pre-operative assessment unit is situated at the back of the hospital which is clearly sign posted from the main entrance.  It is approximately a 5-10 minute walk from the main entrance but if you require assistance or a wheelchair please ask at the hospital main reception. The purpose of this assessment is to ensure that you are medically fit for surgery.  It also gives you an opportunity to ask questions you may have or discuss any concerns. You will be seen by an experienced pre op assessment nurse, who will ask you a range of questions about your medical…

We are pleased to welcome you to the purpose built Day Case Surgical Unit at Hereford County Hospital, which opened in July 2024.  The unit provides modern, state-of-the-art facilities, for our patients.   The types of procedure offered in the new unit include a mix of day case surgeries, including gynaecology, urology, general surgical, orthopaedic and cataract procedures. We have three dedicated theatres, including a cataract theatre.    Location The day case surgical unit is located in a new building on the Hereford County Hospital site.  You can access this building through the main hospital reception entrance.  Please follow the main corridor…

Skin to skin Extensive research tells us the many benefits of skin to skin immediately after baby is born. It helps to regulate baby’s heartrate, breathing and temperature, reduces their stress levels, aids with their first feed, as well as enhancing your milk supply.   It has also been shown to have beneficial effects for the mother if they have experienced a traumatic birth.    A minimum of an hour skin to skin and offering baby their first feed during this time can help to realise these benefits.  However, there is no limit, as baby grows, skin to skin can…

Further easing of visiting restrictions Visiting restrictions eased at WVT hospitals in Herefordshire Information for patients and carers We have three modern and comfortable community hospitals. If you are a patient in an acute hospital, such as Hereford County Hospital, your doctors and nurses may now think you are well enough to be moved to a Community Hospital. We would like to tell you more about them, their modern facilities and the nurses, doctors and therapists there. This information may also be of interest to you if you are at home and due to be admitted for care. If you…

Before labour starts, the neck of the womb (cervix) is long, firm and closed. Even before labour begins, the cervix can be drawn up and gets thinner.  The ‘latent’ phase of labour is the very first part of your labour – the early part of first stage. During the ‘latent’ phase the neck of the womb thins and opens up to about 3 to 4 cm.  The latent phase can last several days or weeks before active labour starts. This is normal. Some women have bouts of contractions lasting a few hours, which then stop and start again later or…

If you’ve ever dreamt of a place which brings together the convenience of living in a big city with the lifestyle associated with a home in a rural idyll, Herefordshire is the place for you. Herefordshire lies in the south west of the West Midlands, bordering Wales. It is a rural county with a population of around 178,400. Numbers are expected to grow to 193,600 by 2026. Just under half of the population live in villages and rural areas, just under a third (30 per cent) of the people live in Hereford City, and the rest (22 per cent) live…

  Training for General Practice  Why not come to our beautiful county and join our local Vocational Training Scheme for General Practice?  Herefordshire has a well-established training programme. The hospital experience is based  at Hereford County Hospital in the heart of the city of Hereford, and  surgery-based jobs are within the county and within easy reach of Hereford City. We have a mixture of rural and city training practices and you are usually able to spend time in both. The half-day release programme takes place on the hospital site at the Post-Graduate Medical Centre. We have a high ratio of…

Many Rheumatology conditions are life-long, but, with the right treatment, the symptoms can be well controlled for prolonged periods of time, enabling you to get on with your daily life. However, because things can change over time, we usually arrange follow-up appointments at regular intervals. This may mean that you take time off from work, or other activities, to attend the appointments when they are well. PIFU allows you to have a greater control over your appointments. Instead of being offered regular follow-up appointments, you can request your own appointment when you need it (e.g., when you are experiencing a…

Our theatre team undertake more than 13,000 operations every year for inpatients and day surgery patients. We care for our patients by ensuring that operations are carried out in the safest, most modern surroundings, with high quality care and treatment, provided by our expert theatre surgeons and theatre teams. Our dedicated theatre team is always looking for ways to improve the service we provide.  We keep up to date with current research and progress, as well as assessing and review our skills regularly.  We operate on patients from Herefordshire and the surrounding areas, and patients from other areas can choose…

The ‘Macmillan Renton Unit’ is a purpose built outpatient facility at Wye Valley NHS Trust, in Hereford, which opened in 2011. Macmillan Renton is an outpatient unit caring for patients who have cancer or where cancer is suspected. Haematology outpatient appointments are also held in this unit. Outpatient clinics as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy are held daily (Monday to Friday), as well as other treatments, such as blood transfusions.  The Unit is supported by a broad range of staff. These include Specialist Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Dieticians, Occupational Therapists, Radiotherapists, Health Care Assistants, and Support Workers.  Our multidisciplinary team are…