PARTNERS of mothers-to-be will be able to attend ultrasound appointment from next week.

Previously, mothers could not bring anyone with them to appointments as a measure to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Lauren Spartley, 27 from Malvern said: “I had a full term still birth in 2016 so pregnancy for me is quite an anxious time, so going to appointments on my own has been hard. “Knowing that my partner can now come to my final scan before she’s born has literally been such a relief.”

Worcestershire Royal Hospital since the start of the pandemic last year, has a member of staff at the main entrance checking on people visiting the hospital and hand sanitising stations and markers are on the floor throughout guiding people as hygiene is ramped up.

Justine Jeffery, divisional director of midwifery and gynaecology nursing, said: “Our priority at all times has been the safety of mums to be and their babies.

“We recognise the important role of a partner during the maternity experience, and are delighted to be able to welcome partners to all ultrasound scans from Monday 1 March.

“Women will be able to have a partner with them for all ultrasound scan appointments either in the hospital or in a community setting.

“To continue to ensure the safety of our families and our staff, partners will be required to wear masks provided on entry to the hospital, we still ask that children don’t attend, and social distancing must be maintained during waiting times.”

At the beginning of the year, a pregnant woman hit out at the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s hospitals for not doing enough to ensure her partner can be with her at hospital appointments.

Mary Archer said she has been in touch with the trust since September 2020, after highlighting its lack of testing, and that work to bring the hospital’s sites in line with government guidelines had still not been completed.

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The 37-year-old, from Droitwich, said, as a result, it was a creating a “postcode lottery” where partners were able to go to scans and appointments in one area, but not in others like Worcestershire.

Miss Archer said at the time: "You hear of stories of women who had bad news at their scans and were there on their own, they have had to be induced on their own."