At East Surrey Hospital, approximately 28% of babies are born by Caesarean Section. There is provision for a 24 hour service for Emergency Caesarean Section and Elective Caesarean Sections are performed 4 days a week.
A 5-bedded postnatal bay is attached to the Birthing Unit and is used for women who deliver on the Birthing Unit. Any mothers or babies who require monitoring additional to that which would be provided at home, will be transferred to Burstow, the main postnatal ward (for example meconium observations). This facilitates early discharge home and reduces length of stay in hospital.
East Surrey Hospital midwifery led maternity services for Low Risk women is an OPT OUT system. This means that all Low Risk women will be expected to birth in the Birthing Unit unless they have a medical/pregnancy related problem that is identified at booking or develops during pregnancy or they decide to OPT OUT.
At booking, all women will be assessed by the community midwife. If there are no contraindicating factors in her medical, surgical or obstetric history she will be designated as Low Risk and booked for Midwifery Led Care under her community midwife.
The Birthing Unit has the potential to provide intrapartum and postnatal care for 20% of women booked for maternity services at East Surrey Hospital. Women under Consultant-led care should have advised place of delivery documented in their notes by 36 weeks to aid assessment during triage.