Maternity services visiting and attendance FAQ

To see our general visiting guidance please visit  Coronavirus (Covid-19) information for hospital visitors | Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (mse.nhs.uk)

Can a partner attend antenatal appointments?

Basildon and Broomfield hospitals - Yes.

Southend Hospital - This varies depending on where the antenatal clinic is being held, so please check with your community midwife.

Can a partner attend a scan and then another person attend appointments on different occasions?

Yes. One adult is allowed to accompany you to appointments and this can be a different person on each occasion.

Are children allowed to attend antenatal clinic appointments, visit the postnatal wards or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)?

From Monday 4 July we are pleased to confirm we will be welcoming the children of our women and pregnant people back to visiting across our Maternity Services. Please consider the amount of time children visit on the wards - we suggest no more than one hour at a time - due to the busy workload and limited space we have.

Are both women/birthing people and their support partner being asked to undertake Covid-19 lateral flow tests before attending appointments? Are they being asked to present the text/email from NHS Test and Trace to confirm a negative result?

From 1 April none of our hospital sites will be routinely requesting lateral flow tests. See Coronavirus (Covid-19) information for hospital visitors | Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (mse.nhs.uk) for further information. Please do not attend if you have Covid-19 symptoms.

Can partners attend scans and what is the process for this?

Broomfield Hospital - partners can come in then wait in the waiting room before going in for the scan.

Basildon Hospital - partners are asked to wait outside of the scan department and then invited to come in to the scan room when appointment begins.

Southend Hospital - partners attend the unit to sign the visitor log then waits outside the entrance until invited to come in to the scan room when the appointment begins.

Will gas and air (Entonox) be available for me to use?

Yes, Entonox is available for all women and birthing people at all our maternity units.

Can I bring my children to my scan appointment?

We do not recommend having young children accompany you to your scan. We will only allow it in exceptional circumstances, as we do understand that it can be difficult for some families to find childcare. If you have no other choice and need to bring a young child, please ensure that you bring them in a pushchair or buggy to ensure their safety during the scan.

Can a partner attend if there is reduced movement or for general monitoring?

Broomfield and Basildon hospitals - Yes

Southend hospital - If you have a triage appointment then yes. For routine day assessment appointments, for example if someone attends twice a week for a CTG, we discourage support people attending. However we always take individual circumstances into account so please talk to us.

What are the postnatal ward visiting hours?

All hospitals 9am - 8.30pm

Are the Mid Essex St Peters and WJC birthing centres and midwife-led birthing unit open for births? Are the Basildon and Southend alongside midwifery led birthing units open?

St Peters is open, contact number: 01376 555943.

We are reviewing when the WJC birthing centre can reopen.

The Basildon centre is open periodically and the Southend unit is rarely closed.

Can people have a partner in attendance throughout the induction process? When can a second birthing partner join them?

At all sites a partner can attend between 9am and 8.30pm. Once the person is in established labour on delivery suite the second birth partner can attend.

Can you have two birthing partners and can they swap throughout the labour?

At all sites you can have two birthing partners from the point of established labour on delivery suite. These must be the same two people throughout and they cannot swap with others.

What happens if you go into labour and you have Covid-19? How many birthing partners can attend? What happens if the birthing person and their partner test positive?

Based on national guidance a woman or birthing person who has Covid-19 can have one birthing partner. If their planned birth partner has Covid-19 then they cannot attend and a different person needs to be the birthing partner.

Who can visit a baby in NICU?

At all sites both parents can visit with unrestricted access.

 

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