Mums-to-be are set to benefit following a generous donation of a birthing pool to the maternity department at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Clare Tebbett, a local photographer from Helter Skelter, donated the pool, worth £157, to enhance the experience for women who choose to give birth at home.

The pool, which comes with a pump and cleverly and compactly folds up into a rucksack, will be used by the Sapphire Midwives, a team of recently established Continuity of Carer midwives who have been introduced to ensure more mums-to-be see their named midwife, or a midwife from a small team, throughout their pregnancy journey.

This is the second mobile birth pool at the hospital, and both Sapphire – and their colleagues the Ruby Midwife Team – now have one.

Maternity Matron Louise Turbutt said: “Water births are a really popular choice for women, as it creates a calming and relaxing experience during birth. The donated pool will be of huge benefit to women who want a water birth in the comfort of their own home.”

Judy Bartley, from the Sapphire Midwives, said: “It’s amazing that Clare donated the pool. It will be well used and will change the birth experience for lots of women in Worcestershire.”

The team hope that the new pool will encourage women to have water births in the calm environment of their own homes, where, thanks to the new Continuity of Carer model, they can be assessed safely by a midwife.

Clare said: “When I gave birth 10 years ago I wanted a water birth but sadly all of the pools were in use. I’m really pleased to donate the pool and hopefully give more women the chance of a water birth in their own home.”

The Sapphire team added: “The Women of Worcestershire can benefit from this kind donation and we would like to thank Helter Skelter for the support given to the Maternity unit”.

Congratulations to the maternity bereavement suite team at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, who are national finalists in the NHS Parliamentary Awards!

The team have been chosen for The Care and Compassion Award, after being nominated by local Wyre Forest MP, Mark Garnier.

The NHS in the Midlands revealed the ten nominations it has chosen as regional champions for the prestigious NHS Parliamentary Awards, including the bereavement suite team.

All the regional champions will now go head to head with other winners from across the country for a national award to be presented at a special ceremony in the House of Commons on the 10 July.

Launched in March, the NHS called on MPs to find and nominate those individuals or teams they thought have made the biggest improvements to health and care services in their constituencies across ten categories.

The team launched an appeal in 2017 to raise money for an additional bereavement suite at Worcestershire Royal and to soundproof two rooms in the delivery suite to enable them to care for parents who suffer the loss of their baby in a separate, safe and comfortable environment.

The rooms are a quiet and tranquil space, away from the noise and bustle of the nearby maternity ward. Families can stay as long as necessary to ensure they get precious time with their baby and are able to make lifelong memories.

Trudy Berlet, Lead Bereavement Support Midwife, said: “I feel very honoured that the team behind the Maternity Bereavement Suite at the Trust have been recognised in this way. I am incredibly proud of the vital service that my small team provides, and the tremendous amount of support we have received, both from bereaved families and the community, for a second bereavement suite has been truly amazing.”

Vicky Morris, Chief Nursing Officer, said: “The Maternity Bereavement Suite’s nomination will come as no surprise to those that have benefited from the care and compassion of lead bereavement support midwife Trudy and her small team. Trudy has led the way with her outstanding compassion and support for the development of the maternity bereavement service at the Trust. As well as being personally commended in a CQC report for the services she provides, the huge amount of gratitude Trudy and her colleagues receive from those they support in their time of need is very humbling to hear.”

Nurses and midwives from around the world working at Wye Valley NHS Trust joined International Nurses Day and Day of the Midwife celebrations in May.

International Nurses’ Day takes place on May 12 each year, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, and International Day of the Midwife happens annually on May 5.

More than 1,200 nurses and midwives from Herefordshire, Wales, and as far afield as the Philippines, India, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain United States, and New Zealand provide care at the Trust’s local hospitals and in people’s homes.

Lucy Flanagan, director of nursing at Wye Valley NHS Trust, said: “I’m very proud of our amazing nursing and midwifery staff and wish to say a BIG thank you to each and every one of them for their hard work and dedication. Every day they go above and beyond what is required to ensure that patients and mothers and their families receive high quality care round the clock in our hospitals and at home.

“To mark the event our nurses and midwives pinned their national country’s flag to a giant map in Hereford County Hospital’s Spires restaurant to celebrate the diversity of our workforce and the benefits this brings to our organisation. They spoke about the importance of their role, ran an exhibition stands to showcase their profession, and there was a quiz and prize for the winner.”

Emergency Department Nurse Tanya Dass described nursing as a “most profound and rewarding career.”

“When you help people, it gives you an immense sense of satisfaction. We often see our patients during a very challenging time in their life and there’s a real sense of satisfaction to provide care and be there with them.”

Lucy Flanagan added: “This Trust is a great place to work and we have a number of opportunities for nurses to progress their careers and specialise in many areas. We have a comprehensive education and support programme, to ensure nurses have the right skills to provide high quality care for patients in Herefordshire.”

To find out more about working at WVT visit www.wyevalley.nhs.uk (working for us/events).