Baggies team up with midwives to deliver maternity clinics

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has teamed up with the Baggies to set up temporary maternity clinics at the football club.

Midwives are due to start seeing women for both antenatal and postnatal care at the West Bromwich Albion ground from Monday 20 April.

There will be three clinics held, Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm, with the club providing free space in the East Stand suites.

It will be staffed by 10 midwives and three support workers and will operate as an appointment-only facility. It was set up by Louise Wilde, Deputy Director of Midwifery and Cathy Brown, Community matron.

Helen Hurst, Director of Midwifery, said: “We wanted to provide an alternative space  for women who are having antenatal and postnatal care. Women are slightly anxious about coming to hospital in the current climate so we wanted to find a safe space away from the hospital.

“It will be for women who are 24 weeks onwards and there will be postnatal clinics for those who have been discharged. It will be as safe as the services that are currently provided by our midwives within the community, and in GP clinics. Should the need arise, we will be able to call on the ambulance service. We are really grateful to the Baggies for providing this space for women during this worrying time.”

Albion Chief Executive Mark Jenkins said: “We are more than happy to open the doors to The Hawthorns to enable this vital service to be safely conducted.

“It is another example of how the Club can help within our community during the pandemic, something we are determined to continue to do.

“And we like to think you are never too young to join the Albion family.”