During the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers in maternity triage had to be limited as Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust worked with service users to keep the hospital as safe as possible for all.

Carla Jones-Charles, Divisional Director of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Sexual Health, said: “We understand this was a difficult time for our service users as they were often attending triage due to concerns in their pregnancy and we appreciate that being alone may have added to the anxiety.

“We are so pleased that we can now welcome one birth partner to accompany service users in triage and provide that additional support.”

Carla added that anyone with symptoms of a respiratory tract infection, such as coughing and sneezing, or suffering from sickness and diarrhoea is asked not to attend the hospital to avoid passing infections on to others.