Trust Board  The Trust is led by a Board of Directors made up of the Chairman, Non Executive Directors and Executive Directors, including the Chief Executive. The Trust Board is responsible for ensuring that the Trust carries out its requirement to provide health services for the local population effectively, efficiently, economically and in a safe environment. Meet the members of the board and view their biographies - If you would like to contact one of the Board members please use our website feedback form. Trust's Mission, Vision and Values - our vision, mission, values and Trust strategic objectives Trust Board members' register of interests Join…

In preparation for your caesarean section Before your elective caesarean section, a couple of pre-operative tests will need to be undertaken. These will include a swab looking for MRSA. MRSA is a bacteria often found on the skin and in the nose of healthy people but can cause infections after surgery. This will be done 4 to 6 weeks prior to your surgery usually at one of your hospital appointments. A blood test needs to be carried out to check that you are not anaemic. A sample will be kept in case you need a blood transfusion during or after…

Welcome to our paediatric outpatient department and Children's Ward.  The Paediatric department (Children's ward) provides inpatient and outpatient treatment of medical and surgical conditions, in children from birth up to the seventeenth birthday. The Children's ward deals with medical conditions and also provides facilities for many surgical specialties. The majority of children needing surgery can be treated in Hereford.  However, surgery in young children (generally under two years of age) and specialist surgery is referred to a specialist Children’s hospital, usually Birmingham. Both the medical and surgical specialties at The County Hospital have good links with Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Several…

Birth Story 1 – An emergency caesarean section ‘I had my daughter 7 weeks early on the 7th January 2022 by category 1 caesarean section. I had come in during the middle of the night for monitoring as baby’s movements felt very off. I had felt her move, but my gut instinct was telling me something was wrong. Thought I'd just go in and she would be fine on the monitor, put my mind at rest and I could go home to bed. Turned out baby was in distress and within an hour of being on the monitor, I had…

If you have previously given birth by caesarean section your care will differ slightly. You will continue seeing your midwife in the community setting, but will also be invited for a consultant appointment at 14 to 16 weeks and then again at 34 to 36 weeks.  A full discussion about your previous birth and current pregnancy will take place and the options for birth this time around.  Your consultant should go through the risks and benefits of both a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) and an EL LSCS (elective caesarean section).  If you decide to opt for an EL LSCS…

Further reading  Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Induction of labour, information for patients https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/patients/patient-leaflets/induction-of-labour---information-for-people-who-use-nhs-services/  NICE, Induction of Labour guideline   National Childbirth Trust https://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/files/related_documents/Newburn%20Induction%20of%20labour%20pp12-13.pdf  Why Induction Matters by Rachel Reed (Book - 2018)  MidwifeThinking.com - Rachel Reed   Inducing labour, making informed decisions by Dr Sara Wickham (Book - 2018)  In Your Own Time: How western medicine controls the start of labour and why this needs to stop by Dr Sara Wickham (Book - 2021)  Your human rights during your birth  Obstetric Cholestasis  Appendix  Risks associated with having a caesarean section include:  Higher than normal blood loss – haemorrhage Infection Injury…

Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) The Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the third largest clinical workforce in health and social care in England. They provide high quality care to patients and clients across a wide range of care pathways and in a variety of settings that include, hospitals, community, the independent and charitable sectors and schools. They work in health promotion to prevent accident or illness, they are active in treatment and rehabilitation and they promote self-help and independence. At Wye Valley NHS Trust our AHPs provide the following ten services;                 Dietetics Occupational therapy…

About the service Our health visiting teams work with families, early years, health colleagues and other agencies to support the health and wellbeing of pre-school children across Herefordshire. Health visitors are qualified nurses or midwives who have additional training in specialist community and public health nursing. They have specialist training in children's development and health promotion. The health visiting teams comprise health visitors, community staff nurses, and community nursery nurses. As a service, we are committed to supporting the training of students, so students may accompany us during visits. If you would prefer for a student not to be present,…

Travel by car, charges and concessions

  Visiting restrictions information   Free hospital patient and visitor parking on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day Patients and visitors of Hereford County Hospital, Ross, Leominster and Bromyard Community Hospitals, will be provided with free parking this Christmas Day and Boxing Day, December 25 and 26, and New Year’s Day, 1 January 2026. The car park entry/exit barriers at Hereford County Hospital will be raised on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day and the pay machines will be taken out of action temporarily to allow free parking on these days for patients and visitors. At the Trust’s…