Midwifery

Dedication and delivery

Caring for around 600 women and their families each year, the Midwifery service is an integrated unit comprising an antenatal/postnatal ward, a labour ward, an antenatal clinic, a day assessment clinic and transitional care. We also provide community midwifery services.

Three teams of midwives work in rotation, with the support of ward managers, clerks and auxiliaries. The midwives, employed on agenda for Change band 6, cover all areas from booking through to postnatal discharge - incorporating parent education and home births.
Obstetrics-led, with 4 Consultant Obstetricians, we provide care for all normal and high-risk pregnancies. Around two-thirds of deliveries are normal, with the majority of the remainder involving Caesarean section.

BFI-accredited, we have a dedicated infant-feeding advisor and an antenatal screening specialist who is implementing NICE antenatal care guidelines and the National Screening Committee agenda. Midwives enjoy the proactive 24-hour support of four on-call supervisors, as well as professional development through a clinical teaching co-ordinator.

We have an established clinical risk management committee - which is not only implementing CNST standards at level 2, but also holds monthly reviews of Caesarean and neonatal cases. A monthly academic session allows staff to share knowledge and experiences during lively case discussions.