What we do and who we look after
Care is provided by a dedicated and experienced team of midwives who are supported by multidisciplinary colleagues. Our aim is to enable you to enjoy a positive and safe birth experience, by providing informed choice at each stage of your care.
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If you have been assessed as low risk both throughout your pregnancy and on admission to labour ward, you will be allocated a named midwife as the lead professional in your care.
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If you have specific medical needs, you will be transferred to consultant-led or shared care.
We have five dedicated delivery rooms with shared bathrooms, including a low risk room where you can use a range of equipment to encourage active birth. We also have a dedicated pool room, where low-risk women can experience waterbirth, an assessment room, eight observation beds, an obstetric theatre, a recovery room and a bereavement suite.
In 2010, the maternity unit at Harrogate has overseen just under 2,200 deliveries, both at home and in hospital, and the breastfeeding rate on leaving hospital is currently 85%.
If at any time we feel that you require specialist medical support in labour, we have a dedicated team of five consultant obstetricians, a consultant anaesthetist and their associated colleagues, who are based on the Delivery Suite and who provide 24 hour cover. In addition, our team includes ward clerks, maternity support workers and student midwives on clinical placement from York and Leeds Universities.
When can you visit
Visiting times on the Delivery Suite are 2pm – 4pm and 6pm – 8pm, although if you are in labour we would advise you to restrict visitors to your chosen birth partner, who can stay with you throughout.
Where to find us
Labour ward is situated on the first floor in Strayside Wing, adjacent to Pannal Ward and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).
How to contact us
You are encouraged to call your named community midwife during the day if you have any concerns throughout pregnancy. At night time, for any pregnancy related concerns after 18 weeks gestation, please ring the Delivery Suite. Before 18 weeks gestation, please ring the Out of Hours GP Service.. The telephone number is 01423 553051 or 01423 885959 out-of-hours and can be found on your hand held notes. The Delivery Suite is avaiable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for advice, reassurance, information and support.
For urgent enquiries you may contact labour ward and speak to a midwife, Our contact numbers are:
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Labour Ward telephone: 01423 553184 or 01423 553185
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Jan Chaplin, Head of Midwifery telephone: 01423 553183
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Alison Pedlingham, Matron telephone: 01423 555637
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Pannal Ward
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Ante-natal Services
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Infant Feeding
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Public Health Midwife – Jan Carrington 01423 553050
Research and development
Midwives and the medical teams are constantly reviewing practice to ensure that you receive safe, evidence based care which meets your needs.
We have introduced initiatives such as the birthing pool and a low risk delivery room to support women who require minimal intervention, and are continually reviewing our guidelines for the care of women in labour in response to local audit and national recommendations.
Harrogate is a Baby Friendly hospital, and is accredited by UNICEF.
