- Last month, Rother Valley MP, Alexander Stafford, contacted Rotherham NHS Trust to voice his support for the campaign calling on all NHS Trusts to allow pregnant women support during appointments and birth.
- Rotherham NHS has responded to Alexander Stafford’s campaign to thank him for raising this issue and has confirmed they have now changed their policy.
- Rotherham NHS Trust has begun and will continue to phase in the reintroduction of visitors to provide support during appointments and birth.
Despite government guidance that says NHS Trusts across England can allow partners into hospitals to support their pregnant partners, many local NHS Trusts (previously including Rotherham NHS trust) are still imposing unnecessary restrictions.
That is why Alexander Stafford MP called on the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust to immediately loosen restrictions on having supportive persons with pregnant women during all pregnancy scans and during every stage of labour, including early labour. Alexander Stafford backed the national campaign started by his Conservative colleague, Alicia Kearns MP.
This campaign has received the support of major pregnancy charities, including Pregnant Then Screwed, and over 60 MPs.
All across the country pregnant women and their loved ones are asking more from the NHS Trusts. The NHS must listen and Alexander Stafford is pleased to see that Rotherham NHS Trust has begun listening.
From 22nd September 2020, Rotherham NHS Trust reintroduced visiting into the Antenatal department for the foetal anomaly screening (18+0 – 20+6 weeks) scan appointment to 1 nominated partner.
They also phased the reintroduction of visiting to 1 hour per day for each nominated partner on the Antenatal and Postnatal ward. This was to ensure that visiting into the ward area was safely re-established whilst maintaining social distancing in line with government guidelines.
Commenting, Alexander Stafford MP said:
“Having fought for this issue, I am very pleased to see that Rotherham NHS Trust has chosen to listen to expectant mothers and their loved ones by phasing in the reintroduction of visitors at birth related appointments.”
“With my own wife having given birth during lockdown, I know first-hand how difficult the experience can be for mothers and how essential it is that partners are with the mothers at all stages of birth. This is why I am immensely proud to support Alicia Kearns’ campaign and that Rotherham NHS Trust has chosen to listen to expectant mothers and their loved ones across South Yorkshire.”
“Pregnancy is full of surprises; often joyous, but sometimes tragic. I have heard stories of women who have had miscarriages alone in a hospital bed, with no family support at all. That is unacceptable, and NHS Trusts must be compassionate, must do right by UK women, and loosen restrictions immediately. I am pleased that Rotherham NHS Trust has now done exactly that.”
Commenting, Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed Charity said:
''We are delighted to see that hospitals across the country have started to lift their restrictions ensuring women can attend scan appointments and the duration of labour with a partner or trusted person, and we are delighted to see that MPs across the country are pushing hard on their local NHS Trusts to make sure they lift restrictions if they haven’t already.”