Wye Valley NHS Trust

Your midwife will talk to you about your choices for contraception when you are being discharged from the hospital. Contraception should ideally be commenced 21 days after giving birth. The most reliable form of contraceptive is the implant or the coil, this is because it doesn’t rely on the user to remember to take it. However, everyone has a different health history and therefore this may limit your options, for example if you have a personal or family history of bloods clots, cancer, diabetes, asthma or migraines. Your GP will also discuss contraception with you at your 8 week postnatal…

We recognise that mobile phones and other devices such as tablets are essential to maintain communication with friends, family and loved ones. However, in a hospital/healthcare setting they can sometimes be a nuisance to other patients, visitors and staff and pose a risk to privacy and dignity, especially if information, images and recordings are posted on social media. This includes taking photos of Wye Valley NHS Trust community staff working off site/in patients homes/ in care homes. Mobile phones, tablets and other devices that connect to the Internet can be used across Wye Valley NHS Trust’s hospitals/healthcare settings unless the Trust specifically advises you that their use is restricted in certain areas or circumstances. The Trust has policies and guidance in place to protect the confidentiality and privacy of people, staff, patients and visitors which includes the use of social media.

Mindfulness Do you feel that you are in a daily battle with your pain? Is your mind full of thoughts, fears, frustrations or muddle? Do you feel like you are always rushing? Do you hate the idea of “accepting your pain” or “coming to terms with it”? Mindfulness can help you find a calmer way to live life despite having pain. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is merely paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.  It is based on meditation practice which helps you Allow your mind to settle more in the present moment…

Welcome to our breast surgery website page. We hope you find this information helpful.   The Breast Surgery Department specialises in diagnosing and managing breast disorders, and where necessary breast surgery is conducted to remove cancerous tumours and lymph nodes.  If breast surgery is required this is currently being carried out at the County Hospital in Hereford. The County Hospital offers 10 new patient clinics every week allowing excellent access to the breast services. These are specialist ‘one stop’ clinics where full diagnostics, including ultrasound, mammograms and biopsies are carried out in one visit, wherever possible. Breast abscesses can usually be…

The endoscopy department undertakes more than 9,000 procedures each year. The endoscopy team consists of a dedicated team of consultants, trainees, nurses, health care assistants and other allied health professionals. The department has its own specialised, trained endoscopy decontamination technicians.  Our aim is to offer a high standard of clinical care for our patients within a professional, caring, comfortable and friendly environment. We aim to recognise the individual rights of patients, recognising the right to be informed and enabling patients to make decisions. We uphold the Wye Valley NHS Trust’s mission statement to care for patients as we would want…

The 4 basics Below is a very simple and quick outline on four basic principles that help with sleep. Get a Routine and Relax A ‘winding down’ routine can help prepare the body mentally and physically for sleep. Cut down distractions, especially electronic ones Think of 2-3 restful and soothing activities to make into a routine and signal ‘almost bed time’Example: Warm bath & gentle relaxing stretches, then get into bed. Write any worries, niggling tasks or concerns on a piece of paper before getting into bed and set it aside for the morning/ another day to resolve. Practice breathing…

Sleep is often viewed as one of the top 3 issues for people we see at the pain self-management service, and because sleep is so necessary to our health and general well-being it makes it a high priority in establishing the best quality of sleep possible. Click on the links below for helpful information The 4 basics  How to sleep well with pain Getting a good night's sleep Sleep problems guide The 4 basics Below is a very simple and quick outline on four basic principles that help with sleep. Get a Routine and Relax A ‘winding down’ routine can…

Women’s Health Department Patient information leaflet – Post-Menopausal Bleeding (PMB)   What is Post-menopausal bleeding? Any bleeding from the vagina after menopause. This can be light spotting, a change in discharge colour or heaver bleeding. What causes post-menopausal bleeding? There can be many different causes, including: The walls of the vagina become thinner. Small skin-tag growths (polyps) in the vagina, cervix or uterus. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) making the womb lining thicker.   Most of the time, the cause of post-menopausal bleeding is not serious, but sometimes it can be a sign of cancer of the cervix, vagina or endometrium…

Your information and how we keep it confidential We ask you for information about yourself so that you can receive proper care and treatment. It is very important that the information you give us is accurate and up to date. We keep this information safely, together with details of your care. Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. However, you may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS (like Social Services). So that we can all work together for your benefit we may need to share some information…

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…