Boost For Winchester Mums-To-Be

3 August 2011, 10:06 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

There’s good news for women who'll be having babies in Winchester in the future.

Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust has started a £78,000 project to upgrade the delivery suite in their maternity unit at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in the city.  The upgrade will include the operating theatres and the provision of two additional midwifery led rooms, one of which will include a birthing pool.  The ‘home from home’ rooms are used for a low risk, low key birth in surroundings more like home, but have the reassurance of being next to the consultant led unit in case of complications.  The unit in will now have four of these rooms including two pools and will be in a separate area alongside the delivery suite.

The unit at Winchester has recently gained an official hallmark of quality and safety by achieving ‘Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts’ level two for its maternity services.

In Hampshire, Southampton University Hospitals Trust is the only other NHS Trust with CNST level 2 for its maternity service. The others are currently at CNST level one.

Steve Brine, MP for Winchester said: “With the Brine family having used the maternity services here in Winchester twice now, I can personally testify to the fantastic work the team carries out.

“I have long campaigned for the need to retain key services including Maternity and A&E here in Winchester and I warmly welcome this excellent news.”