• Reference Number: HEY1003/2018
• Departments: Maternity Services
• Last Updated: 1 December 2021

Introduction to You and Your Birth Companions

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your stay on Rowan Ward. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet.  It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your midwife, but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team.

We aim to make your hospital stay as comfortable as possible. The following should help prepare you for your stay.

Visiting Times on Rowan Postnatal Ward

Birth Partners may visit 08:00am – 23:00pm

All other visitors may visit 13:00pm – 20:00pm

2 visitors per bed are permitted during visiting times

Only the patients own children are allowed on to Rowan Postnatal Ward

Choosing a Birth Companion to Stay

Each woman is allowed one of their chosen birth partners to stay as their companion on the Postnatal Ward

The role of the companion is to actively support you and your baby and to learn with you.

Please bear in mind that mum and baby may only stay in hospital one night, you may benefit from a good night’s sleep before you partner and baby comes home.

We will always aim to put patients together in a shared bay that have selected the same choice as you.

Please note that your chosen companion will not be provided with a bed to sleep / rest in and only a chair will be provided. Bed sharing or the companion using the bed is not allowed. Please follow the advice given about safe sleeping.

Companions must be fully dressed at all times on the ward, including footwear.

Companions are not permitted to use shower and toilet facilities that are for inpatients.  There are no shower facilities available for companions choosing to stay on the ward. All companions and visitors must only use the allocated toilet facilities.

Please try to keep noise levels, phone use and movements around the ward to a minimum, especially between 22:00pm – 08:00am.

Food is not provided for companions, hospital meals are for patients only. There are food and drink outlets available within the hospital. There are several 24 hour vending machines and hot drinks machines. The opening times for onsite food outlets are:

• Orchard Café – Ground Floor Women’s and Children’s Hospital – Monday-Friday 08:30am -17:00pm
• Kingston Restaurant – 2nd Floor Tower Block – 7 days a week 07:30am -16:00pm
• Fountains Café – Ground Floor Eye Hospital – Monday-Friday 10:00am -14:00pm
• Ground Floor Pod – Ground Floor Tower Block – 7 days a week 07:30am – 19:30pm

Meal times on the ward will be protected and no companions or visitors will be let on or off the ward between 11:45am -12:15pm and 16:45pm – 17:15pm while the hot food and drink trolleys are out on the ward.

Chosen companions must follow health and safety procedures, if the fire alarm sounds please follow instructions given by ward staff.

Babies must stay on the ward at all times. Please take care not to fall asleep with your baby in your arms.

Alcohol is not permitted on the ward and smoking is not permitted within the hospital grounds. Companions cannot be let off the ward between 23:00pm -08:00am for a cigarette etc.

The ward visiting times still apply to other friends and relatives

We reserve the right to decline permission for companions to stay on the ward at all times if there are significant concerns that will compromise the safety of women, babies or the staff on duty.

We reserve the right to ask companions to leave at any time. Hull University teaching hospital NHS Trust operates a zero tolerance policy on violence, disruptive or aggressive behaviour.

Should you require further advice regarding the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact Rowan Ward on(01482) 605381

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment.  As part of your care, your information will be shared between members of the healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet.  Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service and to help with research.  Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health or social organisations that provide you with care.  All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it.  If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and well being and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.

This leaflet was produced by Rowan Ward, Maternity Services, Hull University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust review date December 2024

Ref: HEY1003/2018