New maternity unit lifted into place at Telford hospital

Wrekin midwife-led unit will move into the new facility, next to the current consultant-led unit at PRH, in the New Year.

The area freed up by the move will be used to create a ward which will cater for acute medical patients, creating more space at PRH over the winter period.

Work has now started on fitting the building out.

The relocated maternity unit will include a birthing pool and en-suite bathrooms.

It has been designed with the leadership team from the women and children’s care group.

The new unit is being provided by a specialist company that has worked with NHS organisations across the country, including the Royal Derby and Milton Keynes University hospitals.

The modular building was installed at the weekend, with a large crane being brought onto the PRH site to lift the components into place.

Wrekin midwife-led-unit (MLU) is 30-years-old.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, says the new facility will be much more appealing to mums wanting a midwife-led birthing experience, while giving women the reassurance of being closer to the consultant-led unit.

The moves have been made possible after £4 million of capital funding was secured from the Department of Health.

Paula Clark, chief executive at SaTH, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to improve facilities for mums using our MLU in Telford and to increase our bed space for the winter.

“I know that, to some people, the term ‘modular building’ conjures up images of the old demountable classrooms we had at school, but these modern facilities are about as far removed from that as you can imagine.

"They are purpose-built with state-of-the-art facilities and look fantastic.”