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We should not have been put in with new mothers

Posted By ConcernedHubby

"We should not have been put in with new mothers"

About: Forth Valley Royal Hospital / Maternity unit

(as a relative),

On three separate occasions, my wife has been admitted to Ward 8 in relation to treatment for ongoing fertility issues. As I understand it this is a mixed gynecological/postnatal ward. Whilst the staff on the ward are exemplary and do everything they possibly can to make the stay as comfortable as possible, I find it completely unacceptable, insensitive and ultimately inappropriate that people with ongoing fertility issues should have to share a ward with new mothers and new babies. In what is an extremely challenging journey, both physically and mentally, I believe women with ongoing fertility issues should not be forced to be in such close proximity to those who have just given birth. I am in no doubt that most women will of course be happy for those women lucky enough to have had children, but I am sure that there will be some that would view being kept in such close proximity, where newborn babies can be heard crying etc, to be an incredibly harrowing experience. Fortunately for us, we are now pregnant and are expecting an arrival in the very near future; however I know how uncomfortable our stays were in Ward 8 and I felt compelled to write to you so that those who experience similar difficulties in the future may be spared the same mental stress which each stay can cause.

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Responses

Response from Gail Bell, Deputy Head of Midwifery, Women and Children, NHS Forth Valley 6 years ago
Gail Bell
Deputy Head of Midwifery, Women and Children,
NHS Forth Valley

Submitted on 19/06/2017 at 13:00
Published on Care Opinion at 14:26

Dear ConcernedHubby

Thank you for sharing your experiences of care in the gynaecology ward. Can I firstly say that it is fantastic to hear that you are going to be a Dad in the near future. I hope all is going well with your wife and the pregnancy.

Although the layout of our gynaecology beds is not perfect, the room in ward 8 is in the antenatal side of the ward furthest away from the postnatal beds. We had hoped that this layout would help with the delicate nature of some aspects of gynaecology care. Parents do however go past the room as they leave for home with their new babies which I agree will be upsetting for some women.

The staff do their best to take account of not only the physical care required but also the emotional needs of the women and would never intentionally add to the intense emotional stress that accompanies fertility issues. They aim to care for fertility related issues in ward 6 but this may not always be possible due to the acuity of patients and capacity within the ward. Please convey my sincere apologies to your wife for the unintentional stress added to her stays.

I have shared your posting with the ward manager who has asked staff to ensure they continue to be mindful of the sensitivities and emotions around the care setting. She would also like to thank you for the positive comments about the care your wife received.

Be assured that, taking account of your experiences in our ward, we will continue to explore the best/most appropriate pathways of care for our women in the gynaecology wards with an aim to ensuring the best possible care experience.

I hope that your next visit to ward 8 will be an exciting one as a new Dad!

With best wishes to you and your wife for the wonderful times that lie ahead with your new baby.

Kindest regards

Gail

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