Maternity unit at the movies

The film is just over 10 minutes long, showing maternity facilities and highlighting what pregnant women can expect when they arrive in Craigavon Area Hospital for the birth of their baby.

In the film, Belfast-based actress Kerri Quinn is led on a tour of the facilities by Sister Marion Baird who begins with practical advice on where to go and what to do on arrival at the Maternity Department. Kerri was a natural choice for the part of a mum to be as she was heavily pregnant at the time of filming.

The tour covers all the facilities an expectant mother might encounter including; the Admission and Assessment Unit, Induction Room and Delivery Suite and The Midwifery led Unit. The tour ends in the Postnatal ward where approximately 4,000 new babies each year will come to after being born in Craigavon Area Hospital.

Anne McVey, Southern Trust Assistant Director of Acute Services (Integrated Maternity & Women’s Health) explained:

“Before we had this film, pregnant women came on group tours of the hospital maternity department organised as part of the Parentcraft programme. However, bringing large groups of people on tours was becoming more challenging in our busy Department as we have to protect the dignity and privacy of the women who are about to give birth here. Infection prevention is also a key priority for the Trust and the new film will reduce the risk of infection associated with large groups of people in one location. We are delighted to introduce this virtual alternative to our maternity tour and hope that pregnant women find it useful and interesting.”

The film is available on the Southern Trust website and can be viewed at www.southerntrust.hscni.net/services/1785.htm A similar film is also available showing the Maternity Department at Daisy Hill Hospital.