Update: Gas and air
Update on the suspension of gas and air at Peterborough City and Hinchingbrooke Hospital Maternity Units
We would like to say a huge thank you for your continued patience as we continue to work on safely reintroducing gas and air to our maternity units. We know that it has been an anxious and unsettling time for our staff, women and birthing people. Our teams are working hard to ensure those giving birth in our units have a good birthing experience and it is encouraging to see that we continue to have great feedback despite the challenges with the availability of gas and air.
At Peterborough we are continuing to work with our Estates and Facilities team to safely reintroduce gas and air to our rooms on Delivery Suite. Our progress has been slower than we would have liked due to currently not being able to find a solution that meets all safety requirements. Several of our rooms at Hinchingbrooke now have gas and air and our Estates and Facilities Team have installed ventilation units in our Midwifery Led rooms on Primrose Birthing Suite to enable us to reinstate gas and air here, and are working on making gas and air available in the birthing pool room. The safety of our staff, women and birthing people remains our highest priority.
If you would like to transfer your care to Hinchingbrooke Hospital please have a conversation with your community midwife who can talk through your choices.
Women who are expecting to give birth in the coming weeks and are concerned at the potential lack of gas and air for pain relief, can do the following:
• Speak to your community midwife to discuss your options and we will work with you to support your individualised birth plan, based on your preferences for pain relief during labour
• If you are unable to talk to your community midwife, or your request is more urgent, then please call either the Maternity Helpline at PCH on 01733 677266 or the Labour Ward at Hinchingbrooke on 01480 847480/81