Contact: 01282 804213
What is maternity triage?
Maternity triage see all women with urgent concerns from 16 weeks pregnant up to 28 days after having your baby. Our triage system helps us:
- See you quickly and safely
- Identify anyone who needs urgent care
- Ensure all women and birthing people are assessed fairly.
Maternity triage is not able to answer queries related to nonurgent concerns such as blood results or appointment queries.
Attending triage
Please phone triage first - if the line is busy please hang up and re-dial, there is a dedicated telephone triage midwife who will take your call. Please do not call any other department for urgent clinical concerns as it is important you are assessed within our maternity triage. You will be advised if you need to make your way to the maternity triage unit.
Triage is Level 2, Area 5 of the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre at Burnley General Hospital.
Initial assessment
Within 30 minutes a midwife will carry out an assessment to review your symptoms, pregnancy history, your baby’s movements (if applicable) and your concerns.
Complete assessment
A midwife or doctor will carry out a thorough assessment, which may include:
- Monitoring baby
- Checking blood pressure, pulse, and temperature
- Urine or blood tests (if needed)
- Vaginal examination (if indicated)
- A plan for next steps
Directions
Maternity Triage is on Level 2, Area 5 of the Lancashire Women and Newborns Centre at Burnley General Hospital. During open hours, enter via the Area 5 entrance of the Women & Newborn Centre. Out of hours (after 9pm) enter via the Ambulance Doors which are directly around the corner to the left of the main doors.
Go through the double doors, continue down the corridor until you reach the lifts on your left, take lift A or B to Level 2, then follow signage / directions to the Antenatal Triage.
Other contacts
If you have urgent concerns before 16 of weeks pregnancy or you have a diagnosis of Hyperemesis up to 20 weeks please contact Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) – 01282 804268.
If you have concerns after 28 days postnatal, please contact your GP or if urgent, the hospital Emergency Department.
Maternity Triage - Patient Journey
Call the triage number 01282 804213 if you experience any urgent problems from 16 weeks to 28 days after having your baby. The telephone triage midwife will advise you over the phone and you may be invited to attend triage. Some reasons to call may include:
- Reduced or Changed Fetal Movements
- Abdominal or Pelvic Pains
- Vaginal Bleeding
- If you think your waters may have broken or you may be in labour
- Visual changes (spots, flashing lights, blurry vision)
- Any trauma such as a fall or any hit to the abdomen
- Concerns after having your baby such as wound care
- Any instinct that something is off or doesn’t feel normal for you and your baby
Arrive at maternity triage and check in at the front desk.
We will confirm your details, your pregnancy history, and ask about the reason you’ve come in today.
A midwife will ask you a few focused questions about your symptoms, check your blood pressure, pulse and temperature and listen to your baby’s heartbeat.
This quick assessment helps us decide how urgently you need to be seen.
Based on your symptoms and observations, you’ll be placed into one of four priority categories (Red, Amber, Yellow or Green). This category will determine how quickly you need to be seen.
If your needs change whilst waiting to be seen or you feel unwell, please inform a member of staff immediately.
When it is your turn a midwife or doctor will carry out a full review based on your symptoms. Additional checks may include listening to your baby over a longer period, taking blood tests, or examining you. We will explain everything as we go and make sure you have time to ask questions. Once your assessment is complete, we will talk you through what we found, what happens next and any treatment, monitoring, or follow-up needed.