A dedicated midwifery team providing care for expectant parents in the Shadsworth, Whitebirk and Audley areas of Blackburn has been relaunched.
The Willow Team provides full support throughout pregnancy, birth and postnatal care.
The service was paused during Covid but the team of nine midwives are delighted to be back up and running, offering support for expectant parents in the Shadsworth, Whitebirk and Audley areas of Blackburn.
Services will be offered at convenient local clinics, including Shadsworth Children’s Centre, Audley Children’s Centre and Lambeth Street Surgery, as well as in the comfort of a family’s home when required.
Every family under the team’s care will have a dedicated midwife as a primary point of contact throughout their pregnancy. They will also have the opportunity to meet other midwives in the team, to ensure familiarity and seamless care.
The team also has a dedicated obstetrician, Dr Catherine Taylor, who will run a clinic at Royal Blackburn Hospital each Wednesday afternoon to meet the Willow families who need to be seen by a doctor during their pregnancy.
During labour and birth, the Willow Team will be available to support families, whether they choose to give birth at home, at one of East Lancashire’s Birth Centres or at the Central Birth Suites in the Lancashire Women’s and Newborn Centre in Burnley.
Samanth Garth, Maternity Continuity of Care Lead at East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, said: “We are incredibly excited to relaunch the Willow Team and offer this enhanced level of care to families in our community.
“Continuity of care is known to improve outcomes for both mum and babies and we believe the Willow Team will make a real difference to the experience of expectant parents in the Shadsworth, Whitebirk and Audley areas.
“We are dedicated to providing safe, personal and effective care and building strong relationships with the families we serve.”