The Maternity Outpatients department at the Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) NHS Foundation Trust has been redesigned to provide more capacity for women and pregnant people attending urgent and routine antenatal care.
Over the past few months the department has been refurbished so that women and pregnant people attending pre-booked appointments at the maternity day assessment unit on the Combe Park site will be cared for in a new calming space on the first floor.
Urgent and non-routine care will now be facilitated in the new maternity triage area on the ground floor of the hospital’s Princess Anne Wing, which consists of an extra five private consulting bays, providing a better experience.
It was recently announced that maternity services at the RUH are rated in the top 3% in England following a recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which saw the service retain its ‘outstanding’ rating.
Following the inspection in November 2023, inspectors found examples of outstanding practice relating to the RUH’s commitment to continuously improving services, family experience and the supportive environment provided for staff.
Two more initiatives will launch on the same day as the new expanded department, both of which will make contacting the RUH’s maternity services easier for families.
The first is a digital single point of access, referred to as the SPA, which will allow women and pregnant people to register for pregnancy care via the RUH Maternity Services Website instead of by telephone. Their GP and community maternity unit will automatically be informed of the registration and a confirmation email will be sent immediately with appointment information within 5-7 days.
In addition, RUH maternity is launching one telephone number (01225 826454) for all enquiries, making it easier for people to contact the team and access the most appropriate care at the right times.
RUH Director of Midwifery and Neonates, Zita Martinez, said, “It’s brilliant to see these improvements in place. Pregnancy can be a worrying time for many, so these welcoming new spaces and improved communications channels will make a really positive difference for the people we care for.
“I would like to thank all of our staff who have been involved for their support and patience during the redesign, it was a long process but we are already seeing the benefits for our community.”