Kingston Hospital has relocated and refurbished its maternity triage area.
Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust began the work in February.
The project has brought together existing areas of the maternity unit into one place.
Specifically, the new maternity triage area consists of triage assessment bays, triage assessment rooms, and a dedicated waiting area, which are now all located in a single, signposted section of the maternity unit.
This new configuration has enabled Kingston Hospital to meet obstetric triage system standards (BSOTS), which states that 80% of pregnant and newly post-natal people arriving for urgent clinical assessment should be triaged within the recommended 15 minutes of arrival.
The build was managed by Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s own internal estates team
Kingston Hospital was also striving for this goal as one of its quality priorities for 2023/24.
The build was managed by Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s own internal estates team.
Sam Frewin, Kingston Hospital’s Birth Centre and Triage Matron, and Transformation Lead Midwife, said: “We are really pleased that our new bespoke maternity triage is officially open and already we have seen an improvement in initial waiting times.”
“Those using the service are seen in one place and we have two senior midwives working each shift, and obstetric doctors on hand as maternity triage is now located next to the delivery suite,” Frewin continued.
“As part of the move, we were also able to improve the inpatient area for those who require an induction of labour. A big thank you to our Director of Midwifery, Marion Louki, and to Becky Culliford, Triage Team Leader, who has made the new maternity triage a success,” Frewin concluded.
This new configuration enables Kingston Hospital to meet obstetric triage system standards
The new maternity unit was officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Phil Hall, Chair in Common at Kingston Hospital and HRCH, and Nic Kane, Chief Nurse, attended the opening event, and were given a tour around the new triage area by the Director of Midwifery, Marion Louki, and the team.
Hall, said: “I am delighted to celebrate the official opening of our maternity triage system – thank you for inviting me. As one of our Quality Priorities last year, I know there has been a great deal of focus and hard work behind the scenes to get this new maternity triage system in place, to improve safety and quality of care. My congratulations and thanks to everyone who has been involved in this excellent work.”