Before labour starts, the neck of the womb (cervix) is long, firm and closed. Even before labour begins, the cervix can be drawn up and gets thinner.  The ‘latent’ phase of labour is the very first part of your labour – the early part of first stage. During the ‘latent’ phase the neck of the womb thins and opens up to about 3 to 4 cm.  The latent phase can last several days or weeks before active labour starts. This is normal. Some women have bouts of contractions lasting a few hours, which then stop and start again later or…

Please ask your midwife about antenatal colostrum harvesting.  There are many reasons why you might choose to do this, regardless of your feeding goals. It is of particular benefit where your baby is at risk of having low blood sugars after birth for instance, if you are diabetic or taking certain medications.  Your midwife will give you a pack with all you need to get started and explain when it is safe to do so.  Colostrum is the first milk produced by your body.  This starts in pregnancy as your body prepares for the birth of your baby. It is…

This service aims are: For all People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Herefordshire to have access to the MS nurse service within a variety of settings To provide a responsive service to the changing needs of the person with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), their families and carers Provide health promotion for people newly diagnosed with MS Undertake the management of people with MS at and after diagnosis Provide education for carers of the person with MS and also health and social care staff Management and co-ordination of the disease modifying medication Palliative care and management of people throughout the whole of their disease trajectory leading to being severely…

Research regarding people who have persistent pain suggests that the greatest long-term benefits are felt by those who keep practising relaxation, pacing and a gentle fitness programme, but when you have persistent pain, managing these and ‘everyday’ activities can be very difficult. It might feel like the pain is in control. There can be traps to fall into; pushing through pain, avoiding activity, or falling into a ‘boom and bust’ cycle.   For more information, helpful tips and experiences shared by other people dealing with chronic health conditions and/or persistent pain visit the Health Talk website. What is Pacing? Pacing…

There are many ways to help. However much time you are able to give, there will be a role to suit you. There are opportunities at the County Hospital site in Hereford, the community hospitals in Leominster, Bromyard and Ross-on-Wye, and also from home. Usual volunteer hours are Monday to Friday, either in the morning or afternoon.  We do, however, also have some weekend and evening roles available too. The volunteer roles we are currently recruiting for are listed below. Volunteer-Led Patient Contact Centre This is an exciting new initiative to improve communication with patients.   You will be part of…

WVT has a key part to play in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 places a duty on every NHS Trust to have arrangements in place to ensure that the organisation and all staff working within it have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The Trust regularly reviews its arrangements against these requirements and is compliant with them. The Trust board takes the issue of safeguarding extremely seriously and receives an annual report on safeguarding children issues. The Trust’s Safeguarding Committee meets quarterly and monitors safeguarding…

Ross Hospital check for Visiting restrictions information   About our hospital  Patients who require a period of rehabilitation at a community hospital will need to have an assessment undertaken of the support they will need during their stay. This assessment will consider which facility in Herefordshire can best meet their needs. The Community Hospital is a modern, well designed building in the popular market town of Ross-on-Wye. It is staffed by dedicated professionals who are committed to providing quality care based on the needs of each patient. As well as the Nursing staff, there are teams of professional staff such as Physiotherapists and Occupational…

Temporary suspension of home birth service: Frequently asked questions 1.      Why has the home birth service been temporarily suspended? The Trust has temporarily paused the service following a national request for all NHS Trusts to assess the sustainability and safety of their home birth provision. Although no recent safety concerns about the Trust’s home birth service have been noted, in light of the national directive, we have reviewed the service and have identified areas in which we need to improve to ensure that we have a safe and sustainable service. In response to the national and local increase in the…

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…

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…