Safer staffing levels in our hospitals We know that having the right staff with the right skills in the right place at the right time is essential to the delivery of safe, high quality patient care. That is why, following national guidance, we publish the planned and actual number of nursing and midwifery staff working on each ward, together with the percentage of shifts meeting safe staffing guidelines.  Safe staffing isn’t just about the number of staff on the ward. It is also about the different skills and qualifications staff have. The type of illness or conditions on particular wards also needs…

Labour can be categorised into the latent phase of labour and the active/established stage. The pain relief options will be slightly different for each stage. The Latent Phase This is the early phase of labour where your cervix will be softening and getting ready for established labour.  You may experience some period type discomfort and irregular tightening’s, the sensations you feel will most likely be in your lower abdomen and lower back as your cervix softens. For this stage of labour, there are lots of things you can do to help yourself feel more comfortable: Use a hot water bottle…

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We strongly recommend that you continue your Rheumatology medication as normal, unless advised otherwise. Not taking your medication would mean you are at risk of having a flare-up, which puts you at a higher risk group than those on medication.  You should keep lateral flow tests at home.  You can use any lateral flow tests supplied by the Government. Please go to https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests  or call 119 to order a pack of lateral flow tests. Only use them if you develop symptoms. If you run out, you can order more. Please note that tests bought from a shop (including pharmacies) cannot be registered…

Registered charity number: 1058898 We are always very appreciate of any donations.   The Trust receives government funding for healthcare, and aims to provide the best possible facilities, equipment and environment for patients, services users, visitors and staff, but there is always more we can do to enhance the healthcare we provide.  We provide many healthcare services across Herefordshire and the surrounding areas; acute care, rehabilitation at community hospitals, and community services such as district nursing, school nursing and health visiting. Each year generous companies and individuals help us to raise much-needed funds and the Trust has benefited over several…

The risks associated with induction of labour

There are currently 800,000 people diagnosed with dementia in the United Kingdom. Every day in an acute hospital approximately 60 to 65 percent of inpatients will be living with dementia, confusion and/or delirium. We have a number of skilled multidisciplinary teams within the Trust who aim to improve the care and experience for both patients and carers.  We have a number of initiatives in place to raise awareness amongst our staff of the signs and symptoms of dementia so that we can provide the best possible care for our patients.   These include: our ethos for caring for patients with…

Maternity triage phone number - 07990 986517, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We have introduced a new telephone system within Maternity Triage to reduce unnecessary wait times and improve patient experience by allowing calls from women, birthing people and their families to be prioritised. The contact number for Maternity Triage remains the same. However, all calls in to the new system from 6 May 2025 are now recorded for staff training, audit and monitoring purposes.  How to find us Maternity Triage is located on the second floor at Hereford County Hospital. Follow the main corridor from the main entrance…

From the moment your baby is born and takes their first breath, there is lots of information that is useful to know in order to help you to optimise those first few hours in terms of their health and bonding with your baby. This section will cover the care options that will be offered and the reasons why, so that you can make informed decisions. It also explains what happens if your baby needs additional care and  the reasons for this.