Maternity services tightened further by HSC

Sunday 14 February 2021

Repeat testing from one week before a baby's due date is just one of the new requirements that birthing partners will face before they are allowed into hospital.

It adds to a number of strict measures that have reportedly been put in place because of some people visiting the PEH with symptoms of Covid-19.

Birthing partners of expectant mothers are now required to have a Covid swab every 96 hours from one week before the due date. They will then be screened on entering the hospital and must have an admission swab and daily swab throughout their stay.

They will also have their temperature checked regularly and will be not free to come and go from the hospital. For mothers who go into labour early, their birthing partner will be screened on arrival and, as above, must have admission and then daily swabs. 

Meanwhile, both expectant mothers and birthing partners are being asked to self-isolate from seven days before their due date to try and minimise contact with others. 

Pictured: Health & Social Care President Al Brouard said protecting the hospital is an absolute priority. 

HSC President Al Brouard said birthing partners are among the small number of people that are currently able to visit the hospital for non-clinical reasons. 

"We are trying to protect the whole hospital to minimise the risk of any services being compromised by infection and then potentially not being available for the whole Bailiwick," he said.

"In such an eventuality in the UK, patients could be re-directed to another hospital, but we only have one hospital. We need to protect our PEH.

"We would not have made the difficult decision to implement these measures if we did not feel they were completely essential. We will only keep these measures in place as long as necessary."

Pictured: One birthing partner can still currently attend labours, non-theatre births and post-natal stays at the PEH's Loveridge Ward, so long as all the new guidelines are followed.

The other guidelines are as follows:

• Birthing partners who have been identified as a close contact of a positive case, or symptomatic case awaiting a test result will not be permitted to attend the unit. 

• The wearing of face masks is compulsory throughout the time they are in the maternity unit. Disposable gloves must be worn until receipt of a negative result from their admission swab. Non compliance with this requirement will result in being asked to leave the unit by the midwife in charge.

• Birthing partners must not to come to the ward if they have any symptoms of Covid. If symptoms develop during their stay, they must inform the midwife in charge and immediately leave the ward, isolate and contact Public Health for advice. The midwife in charge will assess any breach of PPE and take action in conjunction with public health and infection prevention advice.

• Those not in side rooms will need to use the visitors bathroom, where they will need to use the provided wipes for facilities. Masks must be worn.

• Birth partners cannot stay throughout the induction process, but will be invited in when labour is establishing and can support during the postnatal stay.

• Birth partners will not be able to attend antenatal appointments, scans or theatre until deemed safe by hospital management and public health.