Maternity

The Maternity service cares for low and high risk women across a large and diverse demographic area.

As a Maternity team we work together to ensure women and babies receive the best care possible and to ensure a healthy and positive birthing outcome for all. We believe in an equitable service for all women and ensure compliance with national directives and agenda’s and work to ensure patient safety at all times.

Outline of the service

The Maternity service consists of Delivery suite (inclusive of Obstetric theatre and water birth facilities), Maternity ward (antenatal and postnatal care), Community midwifery service (including home births), Antenatal clinic and Day assessment facilities.

The Maternity service team consists of Head of Midwifery, Consultant Obstetricians, deputy head of midwifery, Senior Midwives, Midwives and Maternity support workers, health care assistants, housekeepers and ward clerks who supports the administration of these areas.

Parenting and birth workshops

Find out about breastfeeding workshops and support available, water birth, active birth workshop and how to find out about other antenatal classes by clicking here.  Please also visit the page below for more infant feeding information.

Infant feeding

Wye Valley NHS Trust was recognised by UNICEF in 2019 for work with mothers and newborn babies and awarded Baby Friendly Status.  There is a high level of support for all mothers with infant feeding choices. Click here to find out more about infant feeding and support.

Contact us

Contact details for the maternity ward are available in the contacts box on the top right of this page. View the maternity visiting times, Contact the delivery suite or women's health ward visiting times.

Friends and Family Test

As you progress through your pregnancy and access different services, you will be given the opportunity to answer the NHS Friends and Family Test.  The Friends and Family Test is a simple question that patients will be asked about the care they have received.  The test is part of a  way of gathering patient feedback and driving improvement in NHS hospital services across the country. To find out more about the Friends and Family Test click here.

Maternity healthcare information and online patient record information

We have introduced a new maternity electronic patient record system. This means that we no longer use paper forms for recording information about your maternity care.  It also means that general maternity healthcare information that you will require during pregnancy is now available on this website.

Bereavement suite

The bereavement suite at Hereford County Hospital opened on 27 July 2019 following a successful public fundraising campaign which totalled just over £100,000, including donations from local charities.

It provides bereaved parents and their families a private sanctuary to use as they come to terms with the loss of their baby.  To find out more about the bereavement suite please speak to your midwife and you can also follow this link. to find out about the background of the appeal.

Links with other Departments

Within our maternity service we have a maternity triage which is a 24 hour assessment area where women and their families can easily access and receive prompt care.  Click to find our more about maternity triage.

We work very closely with the Special Care Baby Unit, Accident and Emergency and medical teams and through these close links are able to ensure that women and babies receive the best possible care.

Other Information

The Maternity Service recently received a ‘better performing’ rating from the Healthcare Commission.

For more information on maternity and neonatal services across the county, and support available for famillies beflore, during and after birth, visit BirtHWays - the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Local Maternity System website.