£400,000 refurbishment of Princess Royal Hospital maternity centre

The delivery suite at Princess Royal Hospital has been newly refurbished to improve the environment for women giving birth.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Mar 2014, 14:54 BST
Tom Evans from Heart FM visits to open new birthing pool room at the Princess Royal Hospital. Pictured here with his wife, eldest child, Nicky Van Eerde (Maternity and Gynaecological Manager at the PRH) and the team that helped to put it all together. Pic Steve Robards SUS-140327-165358001Tom Evans from Heart FM visits to open new birthing pool room at the Princess Royal Hospital. Pictured here with his wife, eldest child, Nicky Van Eerde (Maternity and Gynaecological Manager at the PRH) and the team that helped to put it all together. Pic Steve Robards SUS-140327-165358001
Tom Evans from Heart FM visits to open new birthing pool room at the Princess Royal Hospital. Pictured here with his wife, eldest child, Nicky Van Eerde (Maternity and Gynaecological Manager at the PRH) and the team that helped to put it all together. Pic Steve Robards SUS-140327-165358001

The number of delivery rooms with en-suite facilities has increased from one to seven and there are now three birthing pools available, where previously there was one.

The rooms were officially opened by Heart FM DJ Tom Evans, along with his wife and baby girl Amelia who was born at the hospital just three weeks ago.

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The hospital maternity services were granted £400,000 by the Department of Health for improvements, which has also included two new birthing pools at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Tom Evans from Heart FM sits in the pool and officially opens the new birthing pool room in the Princess Royal Hospital. Pictured Nicky Van Eerde (Maternity and Gynaecological Manager at the PRH), Jenny Davidson (Deputy Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology BSUH) and Helen O'Dell (Head of Midwifery and Director of Women and children BSUH) SUS-140327-165446001Tom Evans from Heart FM sits in the pool and officially opens the new birthing pool room in the Princess Royal Hospital. Pictured Nicky Van Eerde (Maternity and Gynaecological Manager at the PRH), Jenny Davidson (Deputy Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology BSUH) and Helen O'Dell (Head of Midwifery and Director of Women and children BSUH) SUS-140327-165446001
Tom Evans from Heart FM sits in the pool and officially opens the new birthing pool room in the Princess Royal Hospital. Pictured Nicky Van Eerde (Maternity and Gynaecological Manager at the PRH), Jenny Davidson (Deputy Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology BSUH) and Helen O'Dell (Head of Midwifery and Director of Women and children BSUH) SUS-140327-165446001

Birthing pools offer many benefits to women, with studies showing they can help reduce the length of the first stage of labour and can help with pain relief.

At Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals around 10% of women currently use birthing pools for labour and about 4% stay in the pool to birth their babies.

It is hoped that the new pools will increase the number of women using the water to help them during labour and birth and better accommodate birthing preferences.

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Tom Evans officially opened the birthing pool with Nicky Van-Eerde, manager of Maternity and Gynaecology Services, acting deputy head of Midwifery Jenny Davidson and Helen O’Dell, associate chief nurse for Women and Children.

Tom said: “I am very privileged to be back at the Princess Royal Hospital opening these fantastic new facilities, which provide a wonderful environment for women having their babies.”