FROM Monday visiting restrictions at Colchester Hospital's maternity ward are set to be relaxed.

This is because the Covid rate in north Essex has dropped enough, with lockdown restrictions beginning to be eased from Monday.

In January the East Suffolk and North Essex Trust was forced to suspend antenatal and postnatal ward visiting, apart from in exceptional or compassionate circumstances, due to the third national lockdown.

These are the new rules:

Maternity appointments

From Monday one person, ideally from the same household, may visit antenatal and postnatal wards for one hour a day.

Visiting slots must be pre-booked with ward teams in advance.

All appropriate personal protective equipment will be worn by staff and visitors must also wear a surgical face mask when they are on wards.

Ultrasound scans

One adult can attend 12 and 20 week scans and fetal medicine scans with someone who is pregnant at Ipswich, Colchester and Clacton hospitals.

They must not have tested positive for Covid, or have any symptoms and they must be able to wear a face mask.

Different people are allowed to attend different appointments with the person involved as long as all the necessary safety measures, including current lockdown guidance, are followed.

The trust said: "We’ve redesigned our waiting areas to allow a partner or relative to attend 12 and 20 week scans and fetal medicine scans.

"Just report to reception when you arrive and you will be told where to sit.

"This is so we can make sure appropriate social distancing is maintained in the waiting room.

"After the scan, if no immediate counselling is required the partner or relative should leave the building while any additional care is provided."

Those attending appointments with patients are asked to:

  • Maintain a 2 metre distance from staff.
  • Wear a face mask covering their nose and mouth at all times – partners or relatives will be asked to leave the hospital building and won’t be able to attend the ultrasound scan if they refuse to do so.

In our maternity scanning areas, you:

  • Must confirm you are free of Covid symptoms
  • Maintain maximum distance from staff in the ultrasound room and waiting area.
  • Keep your face covering on – masks are available at all hospital entrances if you need one.
  • If your partner refuses to wear a face covering they will be asked to leave the area but the scan will continue.

Read more:

Birthing partners

One support person may accompany someone in established labour.

The support person may attend from the point of admission to the labour ward until after a baby is born, and until the patient is either transferred to a postnatal ward where booked visiting times will apply, or they are discharged home.

Birthing partners must not be positive for Covid, or have symptoms and follow all appropriate rules on PPE.

Induction of labour

One birthing partner will only be able to attend the maternity unit when someone who is pregnant is transferred to the delivery suite in established labour, or to continue the induction of labour process.

Caesarean sections

Only one birthing partner may attend with a pregnant person for an elective Caesarean section.

They will be asked to wait outside the maternity unit the pregnant person is ready to go to theatre.

Following the birth, the birthing partner may stay while the person is in recovery, but they will be asked to leave when someone is transferred to the postnatal ward.

Appointments

Only someone who is pregnant may attend the following appointments:

  • Maternity triage.
  • All antenatal appointments.

Find out more about the new rules here.