COVID-19 update
Maternity services
This information is correct as of 11 January 2021
Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) we have introduced restrictions
guided by NHS England to maintain the safety of all mothers and
babies, this includes being able to ensure we can maintain social
distancing in our waiting areas, appointment and delivery rooms.
Please see the details below.
We understand this is a difficult time for expectant mothers and
families. We will continue to keep this guidance under careful
review, in line with the national advice from the Chief Midwifery
Officer for England to ensure everyone's safety. If you have any
questions please speak to your midwife.
Thank you for your understanding during this challenging
time.
Scans at St Michael's Hospital and Ashcombe Birth Centre
(Weston):
You will be able to attend you 12 week and 20 week scans with
one non-symptomatic adult from the same household or support bubble
(ideally the birth partner) but you must follow the instructions
below.
If you are an accompanying partner coming to St Michael's you
must wait outside of the hospital until you are called in (this is
to ensure adequate social distancing in the waiting areas).
In Ashcombe Birth Centre in Weston General you can come into
Ashcombe and wait with your partner in the waiting area on the
unit.
For all other scan appointments please attend alone. If you
believe that you have additional needs that need to be taken into
account please contact the Matron by calling switchboard on 0117
923 0000. Further details about scan appointments can be found
on the
FAQs page.
You will both need to wear a mask or face covering and
please use the hand gel at all entrances and exits. Please do
not attend if you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Labour and birth at St Michael's Hospital
- A nominated non-symptomatic birthing partner who has tested
negative for COVID-19 is allowed to be with you during labour and
the birth. Your non-symptomatic partner/supporter will need to
undertake a lateral flow test which will be provided and
administered on arrival. These tests require a swab from the
nose and it takes 30 minutes to provide a result. If the lateral
flow test result comes back negative, the partner/ supporter will
be allowed to accompany you during labour and birth including
induction, elective caesarean section and spontaneous
labour. If you give birth on the midwife led unit or
central delivery suite and you and your baby are able to go home
within 2-3 hours after giving birth, your partner will be able to
stay with you until you and your baby leave.
- If your baby needs to be admitted to the neonatal intensive
care unit (NICU), non-symptomatic parents can visit - two parents
to the ICU rooms and one parent at a time in the HDU and SCBU
rooms.
If you have any questions or additional needs that need to be
taken into account please speak to the Matron or your community
midwife who will be happy to discuss this with you.
Labour and birth at Ashcombe Birth Centre (Weston)
Home births
Our home births service is still available where appropriate.
Please speak to your midwife to discuss your options.
Appointments at St Michael's Hospital
- You can be accompanied by one non-symptomatic person (ideally
the birth partner) for your 12 week scan and your 20 week
scan. If you are an accompanying partner coming to St Michael's you
must wait outside of the hospital until you are called in (this is
to ensure adequate social distancing in the waiting areas).
- For additional routine scans please attend the
appointment on your own. If you believe that you have additional
needs that need to be taken into account please contact the Matron
by calling switchboard on 0117 923 0000. Further details about scan
appointments can be found on the
FAQs page.
- For fetal medicine and early pregnancy clinic
appointments you can be accompanied by one non-symptomatic
person.
- Consultant antenatal appointments and scans will continue as
usual. Please attend these appointments on your own. Women will be
offered telephone appointments where clinically appropriate.
- Children are not allowed in clinic or on the wards.
- Community midwifery clinics and home visits are still running
as necessary; women are being assessed and only essential
face-to-face visits are being undertaken.
- We regret that we're unable to offer antenatal classes or tours
of the unit at the current time.
Appointments at Aschombe Birth Centre (Weston)
- You can be accompanied by one non-symptomatic person (ideally
the birth partner) for your 12 week scan and your 20 week scan. For
additional routine scans please attend the appointment on your own.
If you believe that you have additional needs that need to be taken
into account please contact the matron by calling switchboard on
0117 923 0000.
- For early pregnancy clinic appointments you can be
accompanied by one non-symptomatic person.
- Consultant antenatal appointments and scans will continue as
usual. Please attend these appointments on your own. Women will be
offered telephone appointments where clinically appropriate.
- Children are not allowed in clinic or on the wards.
- Community midwifery clinics and home visits are still running
as necessary; women are being assessed and only essential
face-to-face visits are being undertaken.
- We regret that we're unable to offer antenatal classes or tours
of the unit at the current time.
These measures have been put in place to protect our patients,
staff and visitors, which includes being able to ensure we can
maintain social distancing in our waiting areas, appointment and
delivery rooms. We will continue to keep this guidance under
review.
Visiting for maternity patients at St Michael's Hospital
From Thursday 24 December 2020, one named asymptomatic
partner/supporter can visit on the wards between 3 and 5pm.
If you believe that you have additional needs that need to be
taken into account please contact the matron or your community
midwife who will be happy to discuss this with you.
Once transferred to the postnatal ward, free WiFi is available
to everyone so patients can make phone or video calls to their
family and friends using apps including Facetime, WhatsApp or Skype
and mobile reception is available across our site. Please be
aware that we do not allow any video calling, photographs or
recordings to be carried out during scan appointments due to the
concentration required by the sonographer.
If you have any questions, please contact your midwife or the
matron by calling switchboard on 0117 923 0000.
Patient Laura has also shared her experience of giving birth at
the hospital during the restrictions in this video.
This animation sets out what pregnant
women should expect from NHS maternity services during the
coronavirus. Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwifery Officer, and
Dr Matthew Jolly, National Clinical Director for Maternity for the
NHS in England explain what might change and why it is important to
keep in touch with your maternity team.
Click here to view the video
NHS Volunteer Responders scheme
The NHS Volunteer Responders
scheme is open to all pregnant
people, not just those who are shielding or vulnerable.
Volunteer responders can help with picking up
shopping or prescriptions, lifts to/from hospital
and health appointments. Call 0808 196 3646 or visit
their website for more
details.
Download our maternity services app
The My Pregnancy @ St Michael's app can be downloaded onto Apple
and Android smartphones and tablets. The free app enables people to
access more than 60 patient information leaflets produced by our
experienced midwives and clinicians. To download the app, type 'St
Michael's Bristol' into the app store on your
device.
Apple App store
Android App store
Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP)
At the Maternity Voices Partnership (MVP) for Bristol, North
Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG), everything we do is
with the aim of improving maternity services for all. We are a team
of people who work together to transform your maternity
care. If you or your partner are pregnant or have recently had
a baby, then you can be a member. Find out more.
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