Improvements works to Banbury maternity department complete
The redevelopment means more specialist maternity care closer to home for patients
A £115,000 redevelopment of the maternity outpatient department at Banbury's Horton General Hospital has been completed.
The improvements are designed to give patients a better environment, while increasing the range of specialist maternity care available locally.
The project, carried out by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, includes two new clinic rooms, a redeveloped room with scanning facilities and upgraded bathroom facilities, including a new accessible toilet.
A new midwifery station has also been installed in the waiting area, while the clinic has been fully redecorated and handwashing facilities have been improved in every clinic room.
The changes have also made it possible to introduce three new high-risk obstetric clinics each week at the Horton.
The specialist clinics are being delivered by teams from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, meaning some women can now access expert maternity care closer to home.
A new ultrasound machine has also been donated by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board to support the service.
Milica Redfearn, Director of Midwifery at Oxford University Hospitals, said the investment would help expand the specialist care available at the Horton.
She said: "These upgrades allow us to offer an improved environment for patients and staff, while also expanding the range of specialist care we can provide locally."
Yvonne Christley, Chief Nursing Officer at Oxford University Hospitals, said the redevelopment was "fantastic news for mothers and families in Banbury".
She added that the improvements would allow the trust to provide "expert care closer to home for local families", alongside the care already provided by staff in the hospital's midwifery-led unit.