Top midwife praises Downe unit

Top midwife praises Downe unit

10 July 2013

A SENIOR official from the Royal College of Midwives visited the midwife-led unit at the Downe Hospital last week.

The organisation’s chief executive, Cathy Warwick, was joined by Breedagh Hughes, the Director of the RCM’s Northern Ireland branch.

The visitors chatted with staff about how services at the unit which opened in March 2010 are progressing. The Downpatrick facility is the first stand-alone midwifery unit in Northern Ireland. 

Midwives say they were delighted to have the opportunity to share their progression from 55 births in the first year through to 101 births last year and to provide ante and postnatal care for more than 1,200 women.

Eileen McEneaney, the South Eastern Trust’s Assistant Director for Woman and Acute Child Health, said the organisation is very proud of the midwives, health care assistants, maternity support workers and administrative support in Downpatrick. She said the staff provide an “excellent service” to women and their families in the Down area.

“Without exception, every woman who has delivered her baby in this modern unit reports high levels of satisfaction about her experience,” continued Eileen.

“Cathy Warwick was particularly positive about our transfer rates which are lower than in similar units in England and Wales. This is evidence of the experienced midwives we have working in the area.”

Eileen said the South Eastern Trust is committed to and supportive of the midwife service provided at the Downe Hospital.

She added: “We would ask every pregnant woman in the area to come and have a look at the unit and talk to our team of midwives about the experience of birthing in this midwifery-led unit.”