Who to contact
The quick reference guide below can help you decide who you need to contact depending on what your concern is. It’s really important to get to know the reasons why you may need to contact Maternity Triage during your pregnancy.
Maternity Triage
Maternity Triage is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week and provides care to you if you have concerns from when you are over 17 weeks pregnant or in the postnatal period up until 6 weeks after your baby is born. You can ring the Maternity Triage and one of our midwives will discuss your concerns and advise you if you need to attend our unit. Please have you pregnancy notes available if possible when you call.
If you are less than 17 weeks pregnant and have an urgent concern about your pregnancy you can contact our early pregnancy assessment unit on…… or attend The Emergency Department at Arrowe Park Hospital.
We are unable to see babies who are unwell in Maternity Triage. If you have a concern about your newborn baby that cannot be addressed by the community midwife or GP then you will need to take your baby to The Emergency Department at Arrowe Park Hospital.
Telephone 0151 604 7111
When to contact Maternity Triage
- Baby movements – If you think your baby’s movements have slowed down, stopped of changed call Maternity Triage, do not wait call immediately. (link to Fetal movements)
- If you think you are in labour – labour can be different for every person but if often starts with painful contractions or your waters breaking. Your midwife will have discussed signs of labour with you and when to call the hospital. (link to NHS website The stages of labour and birth - NHS )
- Your waters breaking - some women find it obvious when the babys waters have broken, and some will be less sure. Put on a sanitary pad in your underwear to observe any leaking fluid and call maternity triage.
- Abdominal (tummy) pain – if you feel sudden, sharp ongoing pain that won’t go away please call Maternity Triage straight away.
- Vaginal bleeding – if you have any vaginal bleeding in pregnancy, you and your baby should be checked over in Maternity Triage so call straight away.
- Raised Blood Pressure – this could be related to a complication in pregnancy you’re your midwife or GP may refer you to maternity triage for extra monitoring and a review.
- Visual Disturbances – this could be related to a complication in pregnancy and you should call Maternity Triage for extra monitoring and a review.
- Persistent Headaches – this could be related to a complication in pregnancy and you should call Maternity Triage for extra monitoring and a review.
- Sudden Swelling – this could be related to a complication in pregnancy and you should call Maternity Triage for extra monitoring and a review.
- Raised Temperature/ Feverish – you may be showing signs of infection so you and your baby should be checked over in Maternity Triage
- Heavy Bleeding/Passing Clots after Birth – you will need further assessment and investigation to ensure you stay well.
- Falls or accidents involving your abdomen (tummy) – – you will need further assessment and investigation to ensure you and baby are both wel
Assessment on Maternity Triage
Your assessment starts as soon as you call our Maternity Triage from the information you provide and the midwife will carry out an initial assessment within 15 minutes. You will then be prioritised based on clinical need and the immediate following care you need rather than just on the time that you arrived.
Please only bring one person with you to Maternity triage as there is no space for more. No children should attend Maternity Triage – so please try and arrange childcare, if this is a problem please speak to the midwife on the telephone.
Waiting times
During busy periods, waiting times may be increased. Some reasons for the delay may be to await test results or it be due to the availability of Doctors, Midwives or Rooms on Maternity Triage.
We understand visiting Maternity Triage may be a stressful time for you and your family and waiting can feel frustrating so we do our best to keep waiting times to a minimum. We appreciate your patients and understanding as we aim to see everyone as soon as possible.
Bringing a drink and light refreshment is a good idea. There is a hospital shop and vending machine available. Fresh water is also available in the waiting rooms.
If you have any non-urgent concerns with yours or your baby's health, do not wait. Contact your GP, GP Out of Hours or NHS 111.
