Labour ward moves as cash boost means new facilities (From Warrington Guardian)

Labour ward at Warrington Hospital moves as cash boost means new facilities

10:01am Thursday 24th January 2013 in News

STAFF at Warrington Hospital’s labour ward have been celebrating after being handed nearly £450,000 of national funding to upgrade facilities.

Cash will be spent on upgrading labour rooms with en-suite facilities, new birthing suites and an extra birthing pool for mums requesting a water birth.

It means the labour ward will make a temporary move to the Daresbury wing from the weekend of February 1/2 while building work takes place over the next 10 weeks.

Senior midwife Lisa Whittle, labour ward manager, said: “We’re delighted to get the go-ahead and receive the funding which will be fantastic for local women.

“Being able to offer the extra facilities for all our women in labour will really help improve the privacy and dignity for the excellent service that we have here.

"Because of the way the funding is allocated, we need to carry out the work immediately so we're ready to move the ward to the Daresbury wing from the start of February for two months.

“It will be the same staff and same service – just in a different location.”

Maternity staff deliver more than 3,000 babies each year from the Croft wing.

A new labour bay means birthing partners can stay with mums-to-be overnight and cash will also be spent on a new aromatherapy, reflexology and hypnotherapy-birthing suite and improvements to privacy for bereavement facilities.

The trust will be contacting mums-to-be to let them know about the changes through the community midwifery service.

Other women’s services in the Croft wing and the neonatal unit will not be affected by the move.

Visit warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk for more details.