Wye Valley NHS Trust

After your baby is born your midwife will ask whether you would like your baby to have a Vitamin K supplement. It is known that newborn babies have about 30% to 60% of the vitamin K an adult would have stored in their liver. It isn’t known why this is or if there is a reason for this. However, a very small amount of babies are born very deficient in Vitamin K and go on to develop Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB). VKDB can cause bleeding from the nose, umbilicus, mouth or into the brain which can in turn cause…

At Wye Valley NHS Trust we are able to support staff whose friends or family members would like to undertake a placement with us and are willing to arrange this independently. This option is available for work experience learners aged 14 years old plus, and it is the only option available for students aged 14 to 16 years old. In order to enable this work experience placement to take place the member of internal staff will need to complete the process and checklist available from the work experience team. Please email workexperience@wvt.nhs.uk Please note that some areas have age restrictions in…

Reasons you may be offered an induction of labour  The following circumstances in pregnancy may result in an induction of labour being offered to you: Post-dates pregnancy Advanced maternal age (40 years of age or more) Suspected big baby Suspected small baby Diabetes Pre-eclampsia Reduced fetal movements IVF If your waters break before tightenings start Obstetric Cholestasis Skip to the factsheet that is relevant to you, so you can start to make a fully informed decision on whether you would like an induction of labour.  Post-dates pregnancy A term pregnancy is classed as anything between 37 and 42 weeks. The…

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…

Podiatric surgery is foot and ankle surgery performed by podiatric surgeons. Podiatric surgeons are podiatrists who have had extensive post-graduate training in the assessment, diagnosis and surgical management of foot and ankle problems. For more information please click on the links below:  What is a podiatric surgeon? Read a leaflet explaining about the role of a podiatric surgeon.    What is podiatric surgery?View a video to find about about podiatric surgery.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilJ_YmPvt_0 Who we are The department of podiatric surgery has been located in its own day surgery unit based in Herefordshire since 1994 situated in the peaceful grounds of Belmont…

The Podiatry department provides care to patients who have a significant foot condition and a relevant medical history.  Many of these patients require ongoing treatment. We aim to keep patients feet healthy and pain free, thereby enable patients to remain mobile, independent and active for as long as possible. We treat a wide range of, mainly painful, foot conditions and aim to identify the cause and, where possible, seek a resolution. Treating both painful and painless foot conditions enables patients to remain mobile for as long as possible. Where lesions are painless this often increases the risk of developing ulceration…

  All patients are given verbal advice on self-care at initial assessment and this is followed up with written information. Information is reiterated at follow-up appointments. Carers often attend with the most vulnerable and we include them in the discussions where appropriate. Patients and carers can often manage simple foot care if shown how to use nail nippers or a good nail file effectively. We advise on where to obtain the appropriate equipment. We also advise on appropriate footwear again giving advice on where to obtain suitable accommodating footwear e.g. for oedematous feet. A range of information leaflets are available…

The midwifery led tongue tie clinic for babies at Hereford County Hospitla offers quick and painless tongue-tie divisions to make it easier for babies to feed. Dedicated midwives are specially trained to carry out the minor procedure on babies who are up to ten weeks old. The clinic brings treatment closer to home for parents and their babies.

On the 5th day day and before the 8th day, we offer a screening test (Blood Spot Screening) that will look at congenital hypothyroidism, sickle cell and thalassaemia, cystic fibrosis and an array of metabolic disorders. If left undetected all conditions could have a detrimental effect to a baby’s morbidity and mortality with the most common effect being developmental delay. The test involves taking a small sample of blood from your baby’s heal, the technique is straightforward, however, the standards for collecting the four blood spots is very exacting. We will offer advice on how to prepare your baby before…

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…