Maternity Services
Visiting restrictions for maternity and paediatric services
One of the hardest decisions we have had to make during the pandemic has been the restrictions needed on hospital visiting, and accompanying pregnant women to appointments. We have taken steps to reduce the number of people coming into our hospitals and the risk of spreading the coronavirus. We realise this is really hard for partners and families but we must do everything we can to keep babies, parents and our staff safe.
We have been continually reviewing visiting throughout the pandemic and the latest arrangements for our maternity and neonatal services are as follows:
Paediatrics
One parent at any time and both parents to be present in the event of a critically ill child.
Maternity Services
From the beginning of pregnancy, all partners or support person must commence twice weekly covid-19 testing to enable approved visiting and attendance at appointments
Pregnant women and people can have one support partner with them at:
- Early pregnancy unit appointments
- All maternity scan appointments including growth scans
- All antenatal clinic appointments (Community and hospital)
- All Community Postnatal appointments
- Day assessment visits
- Throughout labour in Delivery suite and birth centres
- Subject to individual approval, between 2-5pm every day on Wheal Fortune (Transitional Care)
- Wheal Rose – Your midwife will discuss with you further on the day or please phone the night before if you have a planned admission booked.
There may be limitations in visiting which differ from day to day and to protect everyone a daily risk assessment will take place on Wheal Rose each day.
To ensure everyone can stay safe;
- All partners are asked to wear a mask at appointments and while moving around the building (unless exempt)
- We ask that partners have a Covid lateral flow test prior to visiting on the wards. You can go to a local test site, collect tests from a pharmacy or test site, or order them online. You can find your nearest site on the NHS England website or by calling 119. Visitors must report their result here (link opens in a new window) before coming to the hospital.
- We will open windows to allow for extra ventilation during visiting times, please ask a staff member for extra blankets for yourself or your baby if required.
- Partners may be asked to wait outside especially in settings with limited waiting room.
- Please follow the guidance given by staff on the day of your appointment. The guidance will differ slightly depending on where you are having your appointment.
- New continuous cough
- High temperature
- Changes to your sense of taste or smell
If you do, you must say at home and go online or call 119 to arrange a Covid-19 test.
For further up to the minute information please click on your Midwifery teams Facebook page
Our Inclusivity Statement
The maternity pages have information for women and people who are pregnant. For simplicity of language, sometimes we’ve used the term ‘women’, but this should be taken to also include all people who are pregnant, in labour and in the postnatal period.
If you are pregnant, but don’t identify as a woman, please tell your midwife your preferred pronoun and we’ll make sure it’s used on your records and throughout your care.
Contact the Maternity Team and Midwives (including who to call with concerns or complications)
If you’re in labour or it’s an emergency please call our triage team on 01872 258000
There will be someone to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please call the triage team on 01872 258000 if:
- you think you’re in labour
- you feel your baby’s movements have slowed down or stopped – please see below for more information about your baby’s movements
Or you experience any of the following:
- any vaginal bleeding after 12 weeks
- severe / moderate abdominal pain
- your waters break (ruptured membranes)
- visual disturbances like blurring, flashing or floaters
- severe pelvic pain
- regular contractions at any point
- feeling unwell with a high temperature
- sudden onset of swelling in hands, feet or face
- headache not relieved by paracetamol
If you think your baby’s movements have slowed down or stopped
Most women usually begin to feel their baby move between 16 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. A baby’s movements can be described as anything from a kick, flutter, swish or roll. The type of movement may change as your pregnancy progresses.
If you think your baby’s movements have slowed down or stopped, call the maternity triage team immediately – do not put off calling until the next day to see what happens.
You can find more information about your baby’s movements on the Kicks Count website
Community midwives
For any questions about your care, pregnancy or baby that aren’t an emergency, please call your community midwives if:
- skin rash or itchy skin
- show / mucous plug
- pelvic discomfort
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- travel information
- concerns around emotional wellbeing
- wound infection or a problem with stitches
- feeding problems or questions
- jaundiced baby (If you can’t get hold of your midwife, call the triage number above instead)
| Location | Telephone number |
|---|---|
| Bodmin | 01872 326528 |
| Bude and Stratton | 01288 320131 |
| Falmouth | 01326 430070 |
| Hayle/St Ives | 01736 576130 |
| Helston | 01326 430302 |
| Helston Birth Centre | 013269 430221 |
| Isles of Scilly | 07799 894582 |
| Launceston | 01566 761110 |
| Newquay, St Eval and St Columb | 01637 834825 |
| Penrice | 01726 873079 |
| Penzance | 01736 874180 |
| Redruth and Camborne | 01209 842172 |
| Truro | 01872 246990 |
| Wadebridge | 01208 834403 |
When to call your GP or 111
Call your GP in surgery hours, or 111 if your GP is closed.
- bleeding before your dating scan
- cold and flu symptoms
- diarrhoea and vomiting
- shortness of breath or chest pain
- vaginal discharge or itch
- urinary problems or infection
- vomiting
- childhood disease advice
- cysts and/or lumps
- varicose veins or leg pain
- prescription or repeat drugs
- constipation or piles
- nose bleeds
- mastitis (you can also get feeding help from your midwife)
If you have concerns about the midwifery care you or your baby have received
You can ask to speak to the Head of Midwifery, Deputy Head of Midwifery or the matrons if you are concerned about any aspect of your care. Please call 01872 252685 to make an appointment or arrange a call.
Infant Feeding Support
For more information on how to get support with feeding your baby during the Coronavirus outbreak, please go to our Infant Feeding Team page.
Kernow Maternity Voices Partnership – for better births across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Kernow MVP exists to support the implementation of Better Births across Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly. We listen to and engage with those who have recently used our local maternity services and feed this back to those that commission & provide them.
You can find out more about Kernow MVP on the Healthwatch Cornwall website, and on the Kernow Maternity Voices Partnership Facebook Page.
The Cornwall Birth and Baby Appeal
Going above and beyond in maternity and newborn care – Find out about our appeal
Your information, privacy and consent
Your information and privacy
We recognise the importance of protecting personal and confidential information in all that we do, and take care to meet our legal and other duties. Find out more about our approach to privacy and data protection.
Consent
You are in control of your treatment and care. We are committed to the principle of ‘no decision about me without me’, so please feel free to ask any questions at any time about your consent to treatment and care.
You can find out more about what consent means in these videos.
