Antenatal partner temperature check – photo supplied by NNUH

 

 

From Monday 27 July NNUH is welcoming partners back to attend antenatal scans.

Partners of people giving birth will be able to attend certain scans:

Dating (11 weeks)
Anomaly (20 weeks)
Rainbow Scans
Fetal Medicine Unit Scans
Due to social distancing measures visitors will have to adhere to new measures to ensure the safety of patients, partners and staff. This includes wearing a face mask or covering on entering the hospital. You should bring one with you.

On arrival at the antenatal clinic, all visitors must:

have their temperature taken at the entrance to the Ante natal clinic
complete a Covid-19 risk assessment
sanitise hands
report to the reception desk
Once patients are checked they will be invited to take a seat with their partner standing either next to or behind their chair. You will both be called into the scan where social distancing measures will be in place.

The ultrasound department has stopped issuing free pictures, identifying the gender or videoing the ultrasound examination, in line with pre Covid 19 departmental practice and professional guidance.

If the person having the scan then has a follow up face to face appointment with the obstetric team, their partner will not be able to attend and will be asked to leave the natal clinic. The team will give guidance on where to wait.

Once the scan and appointments are complete it is important to sanitise hands, and leave the hospital as quickly as possible.

Deputy Head of Midwifery Emma Wiskin said: “It is wonderful to be able to welcome back partners. These scans are very important events during pregnancy and we understand just how important it is for partners to experience this together.”

Emma added: “Anyone with any concerns should talk to their community midwife or a member of the antenatal clinic / ultrasound department team on their arrival. We’d also really like to ask our visitors to complete our patient experience survey www.bit.ly/PatientExpSurvey about our service so we can continue to improve for our patients and visitors.”