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Visiting hours with COVID

Posted By ospreyrm39

"Visiting hours with COVID"

About: King Edward Memorial Hospital / Maternity

(as the patient),

I recently birthed my first child through the Community Midwifery Program in Perth. I was also able to birth at home in a safe way due to the program. This story can be read here. 

We needed to transfer to King Edwards Memorial Hospital where the care we then received was fantastic.

My biggest complaint is that they were still operating under COVID visitor hours. My partner was only allowed to visit myself and our baby for 4 hours a day. I was unable to walk properly and was not able to care for our baby properly. I feel the help of my partner would have been invaluable and made the first 4 days of life as a new mum a lot more bearable.

I felt scared and alone and in my opinion, the rules didn't make sense to me as I believe no one was being tested for COVID. My partner was with me for 40 hours while I birthed and they were allowed in for 4 hours. We have also had no community transmission in WA for some time.  

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Responses

Response from Matthew Skinner, Director Clinical Services, Women and Newborn Health Service 3 years ago
Matthew Skinner
Director Clinical Services,
Women and Newborn Health Service

Submitted on 20/01/2021 at 11:54 AM
Published on Care Opinion on 21/01/2021 at 1:03 PM

Dear ospreyrm39,

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your experience with the Women and Newborn Health Service (WNHS).

I am so sorry to hear that you felt scared and alone during your stay at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH). I recognise that becoming a parent is one of the most significant events in your life and I appreciate how important it is for women to have their support network available to them during this special time to bond with their new family.

Babies are precious, and we are doing everything we can to keep them safe as well as taking all reasonable precautions to protect the safety of pregnant women, new mums, their family and to preserve our critical frontline health staff during these difficult times. KEMH has committed to reviewing the restrictions in three months, after the impact of the opening of the borders has been observed.

We rely on feedback such as yours to ensure that we make the best decisions for our patients and the community. As a result of your feedback and similar feedback from other patients, the visitor guidelines were reviewed by the Hospital Executive and updated to address maternity visiting hours. Up to two birthing partners are permitted to attend with a woman in labour on the labour and birth suite. Only your essential birth partner can stay with you between the hours of 8am and 8pm daily on the postnatal wards. This person must remain the same for the duration of your stay. Only your essential birth partner is permitted in theatre. Your second support person becomes a visitor once you are transferred to the postnatal wards.

Thank you once again for this feedback and your positive feedback regarding the Community Midwifery Program. I wish you and your family all the best for the future.

Kind regards

Matthew Skinner

Acting Executive Director

Women and Newborn Health Service

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