In this section, you can read recent news articles about the maternity department and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Friday, 5th May 2023
Friday 5 May is International Day of the Midwife, an annual celebration recognising and celebrating the amazing work of midwives globally. International Day of the Midwife was founded by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and is celebrated every year on 5th May, since 1992. The theme for this year’s is ‘Together again: from evidence to reality’.
Thursday, 20th April 2023
As you will be aware we made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the use of Entonox (gas and air) in our maternity service at St Peter’s hospital on 30 March, and we are very sorry if you have been affected by this. We took this action for the safety of our staff who may have had extended exposure to Entonox within our maternity services, due to issues with ventilation (air circulation).
Thursday, 6th April 2023
We took the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the use of Entonox (gas and air) in Maternity at St Peter’s Hospital from midday Thursday 30 March 2023 and are very sorry if you are affected by this. Homebirths are unaffected and Entonox will continue to be available.
Added: Friday, 31st March 2023
We have taken the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the use of Entonox (gas and air) for pregnant women and birthing people at St Peter’s Hospital and are very sorry if you are affected by this.
Added: Wednesday, 29th March 2023
In January 2023, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust were visited by the CQC (Care Quality Commission), who carried out an unannounced focused inspection at St Peter’s Hospital as part of the national maternity inspection programme. The inspection was to look at how safe and well-led maternity services were.
Following the inspection, the CQC published a report on 29 March 2023. Our maternity service has been rated Inadequate.
Parents Raise Over £21,000 for Neonatal Unit at St Peter’s Hospital
Added: Thursday, 19 January 2023
In June 2019, Helen and Chris welcomed their beautiful daughter Ruby to the world, Ruby was born at full term at another hospital after a textbook pregnancy and labour. During the final stages of labour Ruby did not receive adequate oxygen and after resuscitation she was left with brain injury called Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE).
Trust Joins NIHR Research into Tackling Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in Infants
Added: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
St Peter’s Hospital, part of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of six hospitals involved in the ground-breaking HARMONIE study, looking at how strongly babies can be protected from serious illness caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infection.
Added: Thursday, 01 December 2022
On Thursday 17th November, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust marked World Prematurity Day, a day which aims to raise global awareness of premature birth and highlight the impact that it can have on families. In the UK, one in every 13 babies is born prematurely.
Vital birth support service celebrates 21st anniversary
Added: Monday, 10 January 2022
ASPH is celebrating 21 years of ‘The Birth Reflections, Birth Support, Counselling and Bereavement’ service founded by the late Anna Roland-Price.
This service offers parents the opportunity to reflect on their birth experience and receive extra support for those who experience a trauma, anxiety or loss.
St Peter’s Hospital lights up the Abbey Wing purple for World Prematurity Day
Added: Tuesday, 24 November 2020
Tuesday 17th November 2020 was World Prematurity Day, a day which aims to raise global awareness of premature birth and highlight the impact that it can have on families. Around one in 13 babies born in the UK will be born prematurely.
England's most senior midwife celebrates achievements of maternity service at St Peter’s Hospital
Added: Friday, 13 November 2020
Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE, the first Chief Midwifery Officer for England, has visited St Peter’s Hospital, in Chertsey, which is part of Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The country’s most senior midwife was able to see first-hand how the Trust is working to provide better care for mothers and babies and celebrate the outstanding contribution of staff.
Recognising Baby Loss Awareness Week at Ashford and St Peter's
Added: Friday, 16 October 2020
The Maternity Wing at St Peter’s Hospital will be lit up in blue and pink from 9-15 October 2020 to recognise Baby Loss Awareness Week, remembering those babies’ who have sadly died.
#ReadyforPregnancy Campaign Launch in Surrey
Added: Tuesday, 4 August 2020
A 12-month campaign has been launched across Surrey to encourage women to get fit and healthy before they try for a baby. Launched on 3 August, #ReadyforPregnancy aims to raise awareness of how women’s health when they get pregnant affects them and their baby not only throughout their pregnancy, but also at birth.
St Peter’s Hospital finds new ways of keeping patients in touch with families
Published: Thursday, 11 June 2020
The Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) team has introduced a new way of keeping in touch with parents of babies being treated at St Peter’s Hospital. vCreate is a secure video messaging service that enables staff in Neonatal units to send photo and video updates to parents of premature and sick babies, for times when they are unable to be with their baby in the unit.
Neonatal Unit receives prestigious award from baby charity Bliss
Published: Friday, 20 December 2019
St Peter's Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit held a ceremony on Thursday 19 December, 2019 in which they were presented with a plaque and certificate to mark having received Baby Charter Accreditation from the UK’s leading premature and sick baby charity, Bliss.
St Peter’s goes purple for World Prematurity Day
Published: Wednesday, 20 November 2019
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) team at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, were out in force on Friday 15 November, raising awareness of World Prematurity Day, and fundraising for the dedicated NICU Charity, Little Roo.
A grateful Grandfather raises funds for our Neonatal Unit
Published: Thursday, 14 November 2019
On Friday 8 November, 2019 Mr. Richard Bailey and his granddaughter Lois Brown presented our NICU team with a cheque for £3,100 for Little Roo Neonatal Charity Fund.
St Peter’s Hospital show their support for Baby Loss Awareness Week by lighting up Maternity Wing
Published: Wednesday, 16 October 2019
The Maternity Wing at St Peter’s Hospital has been lit up in blue and pink over the past week to recognise Baby Loss Awareness Week, remembering those babies’ who have sadly died. This annual event provides the opportunity to support bereaved families and commemorate babies' lives, in addition to driving change and improvements in care and support.
3000th baby born in Abbey Birth Centre at St Peter’s Hospital
Published: Monday, 12 August 2019
On Thursday 8th August at 20:48 Sheena Parmar from Addlestone gave birth to her second child, a healthy baby boy, named Dylan, who was the 3000th baby to be born in the Abbey Birth Centre at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey. Dylan was delivered by Midwife Angela Affinito, weighing 6lb 6oz.
Lullaby Hour at St Peter’s Hospital
Published: Monday, 5 August 2019
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Peter’s were delighted to recently be joined by professional singer and ukulele player, Emma Stevens, for Lullaby Hour. Lullaby Hour is an award winning project created by the Music in Hospitals & Care charity that brings calming music into hospital wards to help aid sleep and recovery for babies. Emma sang to some of the parents and babies in NICU, and played some gentle and soothing music on her Ukulele which created a relaxing and calm environment for parents as they held their babies.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit receives largest single charitable donation ever
Published: Thursday, 4 July 2019
Little Roo Neonatal Fund were lucky enough to be nominated as ‘Charity of the Year’ by Talon Outdoor Media Agency by colleagues Tom and Charlie Perret after their daughter Aurelia was cared for by the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Peter’s Hospital. Aurelia was born at 34 weeks in St Peter’s Hospital on 3 July 2017 and spent three weeks in NICU.
Launch of new NICU transport incubator system
Published: Thursday, 2 May 2019
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Peter’s Hospital is delighted to announce the arrival of its new transport incubator system for use by the Surrey Neonatal Transfer Service. The fully equipped mobile intensive care unit for babies was launched at the Level 3 unit in March and has already made several journeys, including a trip to Swansea to bring a premature baby back home to Surrey.
Relaunch of the Footsteps Pathway
Published: Tuesday, 5 March 2019
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at St Peter’s Hospital are relaunching the Footsteps Pathway, and in line with the NICU philosophy of family centred care and working in partnership with parents, we are providing an accessible and easy to use resource pack. The Footsteps Pathway is a tool for parents to use throughout their stay on NICU. It will help them to recognise their baby’s progress and enable them to anticipate discharge - ‘big journeys begin with small steps.’
Published: Thursday, 17 January 2019
Sometimes babies are born prematurely or unwell in hospitals that do not have facilities to provide the appropriate level of care. In these cases it may be necessary to transport them from one hospital to a specialist unit in another – such as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Peter’s Hospital (the only one in Surrey). To enable babies to be transported as safely as possible, a dedicated neonatal transport service has been developed.
Thameside Quilters generous donations to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published: Wednesday, 28th November 2018
Shirley McBreen and her team, the Thameside Quilter, have been crafting quilts for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at ASPH since 1998 and recently provided four quilts, beautifully made by Jacquie Cranfield, for a set of quads who were born here on Wednesday 11 July 2018, three girls and one boy. The first quads born at St Peter’s for twenty five years!
Theresa May honours NHS heroes at The Sun’s inspiring Who Cares Wins health awards
Published: Tuesday, 23rd October 2018
Dr Peter Reynolds, Consultant on Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St Peter’s Hospital, was awarded Best Neonatal specialist for treating 13oz Frankie Thompson.
Parents Charity Ball raises £10,000 for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published: Friday, 21st September 2018
Sharon-Peirson Hagger and her husband, Russell along with daughter Mia (aged 10) and son Leo, (aged 13) presented a cheque on 15 August to Dr Tracy Lawson and Dr Peter Martin for £10,000 for Little Roo Neo-natal Fund on behalf of Mia who was born with complications at Ashford and St Peter’s Neo-natal unit ten years ago.
Mayor opens refurbished parents accommodation on NICU
Published: Wednesday, 19th September 2018
On 18 September, Cllr Dolsie Clarke, Mayor of Runnymede, opened the newly refurbished parents’ accommodation of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey. The refurbishment was completed by Richard Copperwheat, whose son Louise was born prematurely at Frimley Park Hospital before being transferred to St Peter’s NICU where he sadly passed away after six days of amazing care.
A grateful father raises funds for our Neonatal Unit
Published: Friday, 14th September 2018
Matthew Rickett presented a cheque for £1,572.00, donated through the Little Roo Neonatal fund, to staff at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals for the Neonatal Unit on 13th September.
Quads born at St Peter’s Hospital Maternity Unit
Published: Thursday, 26th July 2018
We are delighted to announce the arrival of the quadruplets born at St Peter’s Hospital on Wednesday 11 July 2018. Three girls and one boy were delivered by caesarean section to Melisa Patino and Jon Belsey. Mum Melisa and Dad Jon are over the moon and the couple decided to name the babies soon after they were born - the girls were called Evie, Maddison and Cassidy and the boy is Logan.
New Pregnancy Advice Line launched to provide additional support and advice to pregnant women
Published: Monday, 9th April 2018
From 8am on Monday 9th April 2018, a designated telephone advice and triage line will be available for pregnant women to access advice and support 24 hours day, 7 days a week from a midwife.
The Butterfly Project at our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published: Thursday, 29th March 2018
Sadly, parents expecting twins are more likely than those expecting a single baby to experience complications and tragically this can sometimes lead to the loss of one of the babies.
Success for our Infant Feeding Team
Published: Friday, 23rd March 2018
We are delighted to announce that our Infant Feeding Team’s skin to skin initiative ‘Project Joey’ has been highly commended by the London Maternity and Midwifery Festival in the team award category, on Tuesday 13th February. ‘Project Joey’ set up by Jo Wilding-Hillcoat, Infant Feeding Team Leader Midwife, aims to provide the ‘birth centre experience’ of uninterrupted skin to skin time with their baby as soon after birth as possible for all mothers including those needing care in theatre.
Mothering Sunday at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published: Friday, 16th March 2018
Angela Gray, an employee of Morrison’s of Woking, very kindly donated 30 gift bags to neonatal intensive care unit. The gift bags contained pillows, key rings, cotton wool and mittens for mums on the ward over Mothering Sunday. Angela just wanted to say thanks for all the assistance she received herself from NICU for the birth of her children, including Noah who was born last Easter.
Premature Babies are helped by ‘Octopus’
Published: Thursday, 25 January 2018
Volunteer, Sue Morris and a team of collaborators have been knitting octopuses for the neonatal unit at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals to help premature babies. Sue said: "We are a group of people who crochet and knit little octopuses and jellyfish to comfort babies who decided to come into the world a little earlier than expected."
Bumps and Pumps – new support group launched for mums with Type 1 Diabetes
Published: Thursday, 18 January 2018
Ashford and St Peter’s have recently launched a support group for mums, or mums to be, that have Type 1 Diabetes and use an insulin pump. The support group was set up by Jo McBride our Diabetes and Insulin Pump Specialist Nurse and is held in our specialist diabetes centre Stephanie Marks.
Special visitor to maternity at St Peter’s Hospital
Published: Thursday, 2nd November 2017
On Friday 27th October the maternity team at St. Peter’s Hospital welcomed Gill Walton, recently appointed as the new Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Midwifes (RCM).
A big welcome to the new midwives who have started at the Trust
Published: Friday, 20th October 2017
Lauren Brown, Practice Development Midwife, recently welcomed a group of around 20 new midwives on board at Ashford & St Peter’s (ASPH). She said: “The midwives are dedicated to helping us achieve our 4 P’s “Patients First, Personal Responsibility, Passion for Excellence and Pride in our Team. I look forward to watching them develop their careers at our hospitals”.
A mum, baby and midwife reunion
Published: Thursday, 11th May 2017
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust marked this year’s International Day of the Midwife by reuniting mums who had their babies at St Peter’s Hospital with the Midwives who helped deliver them. The Abbey Wing at St Peter’s hospital played host to the event last week which saw mums and midwives mingling and discussing life pre and post maternity.
Head midwife at Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals makes pledge to care for colleagues
Published: Monday, 5 December 2016
Jane Urben, Divisional Chief Midwife for Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals, has signed the Royal College of Midwives’ (RCM) ‘Caring for You’ charter, which is a commitment to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of her team of midwives, student midwives and maternity assistants at work.
Celebrating International Nurses Day
Published: Tuesday, 24 May 2016
Making a mark on International Nurses Day, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust celebrated their fabulous nursing and midwifery staff, by conducting their very own special event - ‘Pride in Nursing and Midwifery Day’ - with over 140 people attending.
‘Pretend mum’ helps maternity team practice for emergencies
Published: Tuesday, 17 May 2016
The maternity department at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a £30,000 government grant to buy a new life-like birthing simulator called SimMom. The realistic mannequin has accurate anatomy and functionality, complete with a ‘bump’ and a birthing baby inside, so the team can practice different labour and birth scenarios.
