Winchester maternity unit gets five-figure grant for new birthing pool (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Winchester maternity unit gets five-figure grant for new birthing pool
4:33pm Tuesday 5th February 2013 in Winchester
By Andrew Napier
Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester. Florence Portal House is bottom left
WINCHESTER maternity hospital has won a £50,000 grant to improve facilities for mothers.
The money will help enhance seven birthing rooms at the Florence Portal House at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.
More than 100 hospitals nationwide shared in a £25 million fund to improve and upgrade their maternity units.
Previously the Winchester maternity unit had one birthing pool; the new facility will offer two birthing suites with two pools. Some money will be used to increase privacy in the seven birthing rooms.
Caroline Brunt, associate director of Midwifery and Women’s Health, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are very pleased we have benefitted from the programme of national investment in maternity services.
“It offers additional resources to enhance the maternity environment alongside the significant investment that has been made since the beginning of 2012 when Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was formed.
“The additional Department of Health funding of £50,000 brings the total investment in Women’s Health Services at Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to over £1.4 million with a plan for an additional £800,000 to be spent in the next phase of facility upgrades.
Mrs brunt added: “This demonstrates our commitment to ensuring excellent local maternity facilities for women in the Winchester area in which clinical teams can provide high quality care to women and their families”.
