16/07/2020
Due to the continued risks associated with COVID19, the Western Trust must continue with restrictions for attending Maternity Services during this initial period but have now added a further update to this position, to come into effect from Monday 20 July 2020.
From Monday 20 July 2020, for Scan Appointments, one nominated partner may accompany a woman attending for the dating scan, 20 week Anomaly Scan and Fetal Medicine Scan.
Trust teams will continue to work closely with all woman and ensure their safety at all times during this period.
Due to planning to deal with the COVID19 Surge, the Trust had to move services in areas to deal with the pandemic and our teams have been working diligently to reset services and allow for visiting and attendance of partners to attend scans in Maternity Services.
In Altnagelvin Hospital, the Trust have this week now relocated the Ante Natal Service back to Clinic 1 and, following preparations within the clinic to cater for social distancing and having identified an additional space for partners to use as a waiting area, have restructured the scheduling to allow partners to attend dating scans in addition to what was previously in place.
The Ante Natal Clinic temporarily based in Omagh, as part of the restructure to deal with COVID19 in South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen, will also permit partners to attend the dating scan. Again this is in addition to the previously named scans, from Monday 20 July 2020. To do this, the Trust will implement procedures to allow partners to use the reception waiting area in Omagh Hospital & Primary Care Complex for this purpose. Planning continues by the Trust to move this Ante Natal Service back to South West Acute Hospital but must emphasise this will take time in the present circumstances to complete the works to enable this and an update will be provided in early August on this progress.
The Trust continues to work hard to reset and rebuild our services in a very challenging environment and will continue to provide updates on this as we progress.
Please note now the updated guidelines which must be adhered to during this time and again thank you for working with us during these challenging times.
Patient and Visitor Restrictions to Maternity Services
- Scan appointments
• One nominated partner may accompany a woman attending for the following scan appointments: Dating Scan (from Monday 20 July 2020), 20 week Anomaly Scan, and Fetal Medicine Scan. - Visiting
• Ante Natal – One nominated visitor may stay for I hour on admission, including women being admitted for IOL. One nominated partner can visit for 1 hour between 7.30pm and 8.30pm
• Post Natal – One nominated person can visit for 1 hour between 2.00pm and 3.00pm or 7.30pm to 8.30pm
• All visitors must remain by the bedside throughout the visit and maintain 2 metre distancing between other visitors
• No visitors under the age of 16 years - Labour and Birth
• One birth partner may accompany a woman during active birth and labour.
Further information
All visitors, accompanying partners and birth partners could be asymptomatic. They must attend with facial mask covering, which should be worn on admission to the individual ward/department.
All visitors must sanitise their hands on entering the Maternity Building and on admission to the individual ward/department.
Please note that Face Covering MUST be worn at ALL TIMES while attending any of our Hospitals or Care Settings.
For more information on our new visiting guidelines click here.