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…

Mr Chris Paliobeis, MD, FRCS                          Consultant Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon. Special Interests: Hip Surgery, Hip and Groin Problems in the Young Adult, Knee Surgery, Trauma Surgery and Musculoskeletal Oncology Qualifications Mr Paliobeis is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon who moved to Herefordshire in January 2012 when he joined the orthopaedic team at the County Hospital. His specialist interest lies in trauma, knee and hip conditions. In particular he specialises in the treatment of young adults with a hip problem. Mr Paliobeis has experience as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon since 2010,…

There are lots of ways in which you can support your local hospital as a volunteer. However much time you are able to give, you will be able to make a difference. This could be a couple of hours each month or several hours a week.

Systemic-Anti Cancer Pre-Treatment information and video for patients

Natalie is a resident doctor at Wye Valley NHS Trust “I moved to Hereford from Birmingham and I                                                                                                love the community spirit of the city.   There really is everything you need here.  The city has the River Wye running through its centre and rural Herefordshire is only ever a five minute drive…