The unit will provide assessment for women and birthing people with concerns about their pregnancy from 20 weeks through to two weeks after birth. Those attending will be assessed using a nationally recognised maternity triage system, with care prioritised according to clinical need, in a similar way to an emergency department.
Approximately 5,000 families from Bristol and the surrounding areas give birth at St. Michael’s Hospital each year. The new unit provides a dedicated space for those who need maternity triage assessment.
Designed to protect privacy and dignity, the unit includes three private side rooms, a four-bed bay, a waiting room, a treatment room, toilets and staff facilities.
Opening the dedicated unit also increases capacity in the hospital’s Central Delivery Suite, providing more space for people giving birth or having an induction of labour.
Sarah Windfeld, Director of Midwifery at St. Michael’s Hospital, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“I’m pleased we’re able to open this fantastic facility that will help improve patient safety and the experience for women using our services.
“Our population needs around maternity are changing, and this unit is one of the ways in which we are evolving and offering care in a way that better meets their needs, in an environment fit for the future.”
Professor Steve Hams, Chief Nursing and Quality Officer, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“Women, birthing people and families deserve maternity care that is timely, compassionate and responsive to their concerns. This £1.5 million investment puts that commitment into practice, providing a dedicated space for urgent assessment and giving our maternity teams the facilities they need to deliver care with privacy and dignity.
“Our priority is clear: safe, high-quality maternity care, shaped by the people who use our services. This new unit is an important investment in that care and in the communities we serve.”
Anyone with concerns about their health or pregnancy from 20 weeks’ gestation through to two weeks after giving birth should contact the maternity triage line provided by their midwife. The team will advise whether they should attend the unit.
