Visiting in Maternity

Our first priority is, and always will be, the safety of the women and babies in our care and we appreciate your understanding and help with this. 

We know how important it is for women to be able to have some contact with their birth partner whilst an inpatient in Maternity. Until now we have only been able to safely support this during labour, once in established labour your birth partner can be present with you throughout labour and birth - this guidance remains the same.

From 30 June 2020 we would like to support the designated birth partner (provided they are free of covid symptoms) to have a booked single visit a day for up to 2 hours between 12-8pm. This is to enable us to maintain social distancing and protect everyone as much as possible. This will have to be arranged via telephone on the day with ward staff, who will carry out screening for covid symptoms. 

Visitors will be asked to bring a face-covering with them and wear these at all times. If they do not attend with a face-covering they will be issued with a surgical mask.

Visiting Birth partners must go directly to their partner’s bedside and remain there throughout the visit. Birth Partners will need to fully adhere to social distancing, wearing appropriate PPE if requested by staff and handwashing guidance at all times.

If circumstances on the ward change the Midwife in charge may have to shorten or cancel the visit.

Update - from Wednesday 29 July 2020 - one partner to attend with you for the 20 week scan

In order to try to address the concern around partners attending for scans we are able to trial reintroducing for the 20 week scan one partner attending with you.  You and your partner must be symptom free and screening questions will be asked of both of you in relation to Covid-19 on arrival, you will both need to have face coverings in place as per government guidance.

It is only for the 20 week scan you may bring a partner, this is because we would be unable to meet social distancing guidance in scan waiting areas if we introduce for all scans. The 20 week scan is a highly important screening scan where your baby’s anatomy is looked at in detail, because of this we felt it would be the most important to reintroduce first.

We will need to ask you to arrive promptly for the scan appointment, but not early, to minimise time in the department.  In some locations your partner may be asked to wait outside the department.  After the scan has been completed, you will need a review by a midwife – your partner will not be able to be present with you for this so will be asked to wait for you outside the hospital building.

29 June 2020