KGH reinstates home birth service

KGH has reinstated its community midwife service for women who want to give birth at home, as long as none of their family have Covid-19 symptoms.

The hospital had temporarily suspended the service due to the coronavirus pandemic because more staff were needed in the wards to ensure safe maternity care and there was a higher level of staff absences through either being symptomatic or needing to shield.

However the new arrangements have been successfully managed and staff levels are better, so the home birth service can resume this month (May).

Head of Midwifery, Mara Tonks, said: Now we have seen a reduction in staff absence and have been able to use our shielding members of staff to deliver care by using technology safely in their homes, like telephone clinics, we have been able to release staff to reinstate our home birth service."

The service will initially progress on a case-by-case basis for women with low-risk pregnancies in line with national guidance.

The home birth service involves dedicated support for those who want that option by providing on-call community midwives.

KGH has also worked with the East Midlands Ambulance Service to ensure there is paramedic support if required.

To have a home birth, families will need to be completely free of Covid-19 symptoms.

If families have symptoms the birth would be supported in hospital where there are arrangements to support mums and babies with coronavirus symptoms.

Women who want a home birth should call their Community Midwifery team for further information who will arrange for a home birth assessment to ensure a home birth is suitable.

Mara Tonks said: "We want to thank all the families who have needed our services during Covid-19 for their cooperation with our new ways of working. We are delighted to now be able to offer support for home birth once again."