Patients and visitors

If you need to contact our maternity team, based at Queen Charlottes and Chelsea Hospital on Wednesday, please use our main switchboard number 020 3311 3311 and ask to speak to the member of staff, or team you are trying to talk to.

Covid-19 testing for pregnant women

Birthing people and their support partners no longer need to test for routine appointments, even if they are staying overnight in hospital. This is in line with the latest government guidance. In some exceptional circumstances your doctor may still ask you to do a test, but this is very rare. 

Mask wearing

Patients, visitors and staff are no longer required to wear a face mask in non-clinical areas and in the majority of clinical areas. However, you may be asked to wear a mask in areas where we are treating our most vulnerable patients. Whilst you no longer need to wear a mask, we recognise some people will feel more comfortable doing so. If you would like to wear a mask, please do so.

Appointments

One support person can attend appointments at the maternity day units, maternity clinics, ultrasound scans and triage. Your support person may be asked to wait outside during busy periods. However, your support partner will be able to join you for your appointment.

Birth partners visiting our maternity wards

We are very pleased to welcome two named birth partners who can support women and birthing people during labour, including if they need to be induced. If you have a caesarean section with a regional anaesthetic, you can have one named birth partner present.

One birth partner is welcome to stay overnight in our maternity postnatal wards to provide emotional and practical support, for both the birthing person and baby. A second visitor and any other children of the birthing person can visit the postnatal wards between 16.00 and 19.00 daily. For space reasons, we generally have a maximum of two people at the bedside at any one time.

While visiting our postnatal wards, maternity day assessment unit, and maternity clinics, we encourage you to consider others, be understanding and offer support whenever you can during these challenging times. There may be times when we need to ask visitors to leave if the department becomes overcrowded.

We may request that birth partners and support people limit the number of times they leave and re-enter the area, to protect vulnerable patients.

Parking information for patients

Parking for maternity patients at Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea Hospital: If you are a maternity patient at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital, you can purchase a day pass for the car park to use on the day you come to hospital to have your baby. This can only be used in car parking spaces designated for staff permit holders. It cannot be used in the general pay and display area. For more information, please enquire at the main reception at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital.

Street parking is limited at St Mary’s Hospital.

Maternity helpline

• Please contact the maternity helpline, 020 3312 6135 in the first instance with any questions about your care.
  
• The maternity helpline team will answer your questions, or transfer you to another team if required.
  
• The helpline is available Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 18.00, and on Saturdays and Sundays, 09.00 to 17.00.

Maternity advice email service

If you are booked to have your baby with us and are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus or any other pregnancy-related problem, you can request a video or telephone consultation by email, imperial.maternityhelpline@nhs.net. Our doctors and midwives are available Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 16.30, to support you by video or phone.

If you’d like to request a video or phone consultation, email the following information to imperial.maternityhelpline@nhs.net:

• Your full name.
  
• Your NHS number or hospital MRN number.
  
• A brief description of your problem.
  
• Your telephone number (mobile phone if you have one).

Please keep your phone on and close to you. You will receive a text message with instructions on how to join the video consultation, or a phone call. We aim to respond to enquiries within two hours during our hours of operation.