Maternity triage

Maternity Triage

Maternity Triage provides assessment, monitoring and care for a range of pregnancy-related concerns. It is located at Worcestershire Royal Hospital next to the Meadow birth centre and the Postnatal ward. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you are experiencing any concerns about your pregnancy you can access Maternity Triage from 16 weeks of your pregnancy until 6 weeks after the birth of your baby.

If you are less than 16 weeks pregnant and have a concern about your pregnancy, then contact your GP. They will be able to refer you to our early pregnancy unit if required. Out of hours please call 111, or for urgent concerns i.e. heavy bleeding or severe pain go to A&E / dial 999.    

We are unable to see babies who are unwell in the Maternity Triage. If you have a concern regarding your newborn baby contact your community midwife or GP or out of hours please call 111. For urgent concerns go to A&E or dial 999. Please note: The Alexandra Hospital does not run an A&E paediatric department, for urgent concerns about your baby please bring them to Worcestershire Royal A&E. 

How to contact Maternity Triage

If possible, please try to speak to us on the phone before visiting Maternity Triage. You will have an initial telephone conversation with a midwife. You will then be given advice over the phone or you will be asked to come into triage for care or assessment. 

Triage Number – 01905 733196

Sometimes our phones are busy so do keep trying to call if you don’t get through on your first try. 

When to contact Maternity Triage

Some of the common reasons to contact Maternity Triage are:

• Changes in the pattern of the movements of your baby – You should start to feel your baby move between around 16 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Once your baby starts to move, it should keep on moving. You should start to recognise a pattern and it shouldn’t stop. If the movement stops, slows down, or changes – or you’re worried for any reason call Maternity Triage immediately. We’d rather you called to get checked. Don’t keep your worries to yourself. Your Baby’s Movements: When Does a Baby Start Kicking? | Tommy’s.

• If you think you are in labour – Labour is different for everyone but commonly starts with contractions or your waters breaking. Your community midwife will have discussed signs of labour and when to call the hospital with you towards the end of your pregnancy. If you think you are in labour before 37 weeks call us immediately.

• Your Waters Breaking – This is common during or shortly before the start of labour. Some women will find it obvious when the waters have broken, and some will be less sure. If you are unsure still give maternity triage a call for advice, you can place a maternity or sanitary pad in your underwear and observe any leaking fluid. Call us immediately if:
  • the fluid you are leaking is any colour other than clear.
  • you are losing fluid before 37 weeks of pregnancy – we will need assess to see if your waters have broken.

• Vaginal Bleeding – If you have any fresh red bleeding in pregnancy then it is important to call triage straight away. A ‘show’ (the mucus plug) can start coming away from the neck of the womb (cervix) days (or sometimes weeks) before you go into labour. This will have a sticky, mucousy and blood-stained appearance and is completely normal. If you are at all unsure contact Maternity Triage to discuss this. If the bleeding is severe call 999 for an ambulance.

• Abdominal Pain – if the pain is severe and doesn’t go away after you have rested for 30 to 60 minutes, or it’s accompanied by bleeding, vaginal discharge that is unusual for you, pain or burning when you wee (Stomach pain in pregnancy – NHS).

• If you feel very unwell – Particularly if you have Flu like symptoms or chest pain. 

• Severe headaches, visual disturbances or suspected raised blood pressure 

• Sudden itching on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet 

• Pain, redness or swelling in your legs. 

• After you have had your baby  – Raised Blood Pressure, Fever, heavy bleeding, feeling unwell with flu-like symptoms, excessive pain or concerns about your perineal stitches or caesarean wound. 

This list is not exhaustive and if you have any other concerns that are not listed or you are unsure below don’t hesitate to call for advice.

Maternity Triage is intended for concerns about your pregnancy or recovery from birth that might need prompt attention.

You should contact your community midwife or GP for other concerns for example; 

• If you think you might have a urine infection 
• You require your MATB1 
• Itching on your stomach  
• Swollen hands and feet in the absence of other symptoms 
• To rearrange appointments 
• Any other non-pregnancy related concerns 

What will happen when you get to triage?

If you are attending with an urgent concern, we aim to see you for an initial triage appointment within 15 minutes to carry out a brief assessment. From this initial assessment and the information, you provide, the midwife will assign you a colour coded urgency. This means you are prioritised on clinical need and immediate subsequent care, rather than the time you have arrived.

You may be asked to wait in the waiting room for ongoing care because we prioritise by clinical need, not time of arrival. Therefore some patients who arrive after you may be seen before you.  

Red – Emergency – You will be seen and treated immediately 

Orange – Urgent – You should have on going assessment within 15 minutes, you won’t be asked to return to the waiting room  

Yellow – Moderate – You should receive ongoing care within 1 hour. 

Green – Non-Urgent – You should expect to receive on going care within 4 hours.  

Following your assessment, if you need to be reviewed by a doctor then there may be an additional wait. 

Waiting times 

During very busy periods, waiting times might be increased. This can sometimes be due to the availability of doctors, midwifes and rooms. on maternity triage.

We appreciate that visiting Maternity Triage can be a stressful time for you and your family and that waiting can be frustrating. We do our best to keep waiting times to a minimum.  

We recommend that you bring a drink and light snack with you. Fresh water is available in the waiting area. There are places at Worcestershire Royal Hospital where you can purchase food.