We are committed to reducing the impact on the environment from our activities, wherever possible, whilst at the same time improving the quality of care to our patients and service users and their carers.   We have already taken a number of steps to reduce our carbon footprint at our sites and further steps are underway. These include introducing new technologies to help reduce our carbon emissions at our sites and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for a greener future.   Green Plan The Trust's Green Plan outlines projects, schemes and activities which will lead the Trust  towards its target of…

Whilst Strep A infections are usually mild, they can on rare occasions lead to a more serious infection called Invasive Group A Strep (iGAS). Parents should trust their judgement when their child is poorly. If they believe that their child has scarlet fever or seems seriously unwell, please contact NHS 111 or their GP. Parents and carers who are unsure where best to access help and treatment are encouraged to contact NHS111 by calling 111, or if their child is over the age of 5 using the online service via 111.nhs.uk Parents should call 999 or go to A&E if…

Natasha Goode - Pharmacy Administrator I was first employed almost three years ago as a Senior Assistant Technical Officer for the Pharmacy hub on AMU. A typical day for me was to dispense medication for the ward patients, carry out locker checks to determine any medication that may be required and to assist dispensary where most of our outpatient, inpatient and discharge workflow happens. I enjoyed the fact that every day would be different, learning about the medication and conditions they treated and of course the interaction with the patients and different professionals. In this time I completed my industry recognised…

You should take a lateral flow test if you have COVID-19 symptoms, even if your symptoms are mild. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, please follow the guidelines on the NHS 111 website and temporarily stop taking your Rheumatology medication (see table below), EXCEPT for steroids (Prednisolone), Hydroxychloroquine and Sulfasalazine,until you are fully recovered. This advice applies for any infection. You may be eligible to receive anti-viral medication against COVID-19 If your test is positive, you must report your result athttps://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result  or by calling 119. Your local health board will contact you to arrange a telephone appointment with a healthcare professional who will decide whether…

Refer yourself here for maternity care If you are newly pregnant, you can now enter your details on a secure website (see link below) that will send a referral straight to our community midwifery team. You don’t need to contact your GP or make an appointment with them – we will tell them about your pregnancy. However, if you have any urgent concerns about your health during early pregnancy, please do contact your GP for advice. The best time to fill in the online form is when you are 6 to 7 weeks pregnant. We will then phone you to arrange…

‘When I arrived I was checked and I was 3cm, when I was checked again I was 4cm then I was fully very quickly, but baby was very high and back to back so I had a caesarean birth. Even though this was not a planned caesarean birth, staff were very reassuring and kept me calm. My baby needs antibiotics and it’s lovely that I can go with him when he goes to SCBU to have them. When I use the call bell staff come as soon as they can and help me’.  ‘All members of staff have made this…

Having a baby should be one of the most exciting times in your life. Sadly, we know that some babies die during pregnancy, or in the days following birth. We can only imagine this is an extremely difficult time for you and we are very sorry for your loss. All of our maternity staff are trained as part of their mandatory training to provide support and offer gold standard care to bereaved families. Our specialist bereavement midwife, Abbie Hughes, will guide you through some of the difficult choices, co-ordinate and provide individualised care throughout your journey, for as little or long as needed.  Please see below contact details for Abbie.…

Waterbirth has many benefits including: Lower chance of postpartum haemorrhage Lower chance of having an episiotomy Decreased need for stronger pain relief (epidural and pethidine) Lower chance of perineal trauma A more positive birth experience No difference in baby’s wellbeing at birth (Burns et al, 2022) Systematic review and meta-analysis to examine intrapartum interventions, and maternal and neonatal outcomes following immersion in water during labour and waterbirth | BMJ Open Waterbirth is offered routinely for women who have had an uncomplicated pregnancy. The criteria for women wishing to use water at Hereford are:  BMI < 35 Baby is in a…

Breech presentation is when a baby’s bottom or feet are lying at the base of the womb.  Breech presentation happens in 3-4% of pregnancies.  Many babies will be breech throughout pregnancy, but the majority will turn to be head down by 36-37 weeks. There are a few reasons which may contribute to why your baby is in the breech position: If you have too much fluid or too little fluid around the baby If this is your first pregnancy If you have a multiple pregnancy If your placenta is low lying in the womb In rare cases where the baby…

Pelvic girdle pain (PGP) is when you experience pain in your lower back, around your symphysis pubic area, between your perineum and vagina and/or down into your thighs. It can feel worse when you are doing activities such as walking, climbing the stairs, stepping out of the car, stepping into the bath, turning over in bed, getting dressed or having sexual intercourse.  The pain can feel like grinding or clicking and can impede your daily activities.  The symptoms usually become worse as baby grows due to the additional weight in your uterus and the increase of the hormone ‘relaxin’ being…