Shropshire Star

Revamped Shrewsbury maternity is officially opened

The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital maternity unit has been officially reopened after a major £500,000 revamp.

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Mayor Peter Nutting, opening the refurbished MLU with manager Judith Adams, in front of parents and Trust chiefs at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Proud families joined the staff and civic dignitaries at a celebration yesterday to mark the unveiling of the new-look midwife-led unit (MLU).

The town's mayor Councillor Peter Nutting, who helped to carry out the officially opening, said that the project was a positive investment in the county's hospital services, including Mid Wales.

"This new-look maternity unit is fabulous. It is really a positive move forward for this hospital. It now looks like a brand new building compared to what it looked like before the building work was done.

"Shropshire is a great county. We have to start to work together to improve hospital services here overall. We have got Future Fit and changes to the services afoot, but we have got to be positive and put aside differences as we look ahead to the future," Councillor Nutting said.

The MLU based in the Copthorne Building has given a brand new roof after heavy winter snowfall damage earlier this year caused leaks and forcing the unit to be temporarily relocated.

As well as birthing rooms and postnatal beds, the revamped unit also provides antenatal clinics, scanning and an early pregnancy assessment unit.

Sarah Jamieson, head of midwifery at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted with the results of the refurbishment. We want to be able to give all the mums using our services the best possible experience and we believe that the improvements that we have made will make a real difference.

Thank

“We would like to thank all our mums and staff who took the trouble to share their thoughts and ideas on the refurbishment thorough the Maternity Voices Partnership, and also our colleagues in the Local Maternity System who have helped us implement these much needed improvements. It was important to us to make sure that the people who use it, and who work there, played a big part in designing it.”

Joanne Derry, 39, of Lancer Road, Battlefield, Shrewsbury, gave birth to son Dylan just over two weeks ago. The accounts' assistant said: "I had a very good birthing experience here. It was very quick and the staff were wonderful. We came back to thank them and to take part in the opening."

Dylan was delivered by first year student nurse Danica Price, 24, of Telford, who said: "Dylan was my first delivery. It was lovely and an amazing experience. He's really gorgeous and I'm looking forward to helping my next patients.

Mother of two Louise Turner, 29, a supervisor, of Bowbrook estate, gave birth to new son Rory four weeks ago.

"He was one of the first babies to be born at the renovated unit. He came out quickly after about two hours labour. The staff were brilliant. Rory is my second baby and I have to say my labour experience here was much better than my first when I gave birth to my daughter Jeanie, no aged two at Telford because there were complications and the facilities were unavailable at this hospital.

"There is a lot of improvement. It feels like a safer environment," Ms Turner said.

While the hospitals' trust chairman Ben Reid said: “It was lovely to see some of the mums and their babies who have already been born in this new unit with us for the official opening and I would also like to say a big thank you to Peter Nutting, Mayor of Shrewsbury, for officially opening the refurbished unit.”