It can be helpful to review events around pregnancy and birth. In Herts and West Essex all maternity units have a birth reflection/listening service that can be accessed at any time after giving birth or when you return for subsequent pregnancies. To find out about how to access this service, speak to your community midwife.
Essex
Central contact and information for all the Essex Birth Registration Centres listed below:
Tel: 0345 603 7632
Dunmow
Great Dunmow Library
47 White Hart Way
Dunmow CM6 1FS
Epping
Epping Registration Office
Epping Library
St John Road
Epping CM16 5DN
Harlow
Harlow Registration Centre
Harlow Central Library
Cross Street
Harlow CM20 1HA
Uttlesford
Uttlesford Registration Office
Council Offices
London Road
Saffron Walden CB11 4ER
Hertfordshire
Central contact and information for all the Hertfordshire Birth Registration Centres listed below:Tel: 0300 123 4045Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead Register Office
The Forum
Marlowes
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire HP1 1DN
St Albans
St Albans Register Office
The Gatehouse
1 Victoria Street
St Albans AL1 3TF
Stevenage
Stevenage Register Office
Danesgate House
Danesgate
Stevenage SG1 1WW
Watford
Watford Register Office
31 Hempstead Road
Watford WD17 3EY
Essex Family Services
Brambles Family Hub
Epping Library
St Johns Road
Epping CM16 5DN
Tel: 0300 2470122
Hazelwood Family Hub
Hillhouse Primary School
Ninefields
Waltham Abbey EN9 3EL
Tel: 0300 2470122
Little Oaks Family Hub Delivery Site
Loughton Resources Centre
Torrington Drive
Loughton IG10 3TD
Tel: 0300 2470122
True Stars Family Hub Delivery Site
The Limes Centre
Limes Farm
Chigwell IG7 5LP
Tel: 0300 2470122Tree House Family Hub
Parnall Road
Harlow CM18 7NG
Tel: 0300 2470122The Meadows Family Hub Delivery Site
Harberts Road
Harlow CM19 4DL
Tel: 0300 2470122
Potter Street Family Hub
Caters Mead
Harlow CM19 9EU
Tel: 0300 2470122
Spangles Family Hub
Lower Street
Stansted
Mountfitchet CM24 8LR
Tel: 0300 2470122
Little Goslings Family Hub Delivery Site
North Street
Great Dunmow CM6 1AZ
Tel: 0300 2470122
Hertfordshire Family Centre Services
Tel: 0300 123 7572Watford & Three Rivers
Hertsmere
Dacorum
St Albans
East Herts
North Herts
Broxbourne
Welwyn Hatfield
Stevenage
This is a decision you will make following discussion with your midwife or doctor at around 34-36 weeks of pregnancy, but it is helpful to start thinking about your preferences before this time.
Each maternity unit in Herts and West Essex offers three locations for birth: home, midwife led unit or obstetric (consultant unit. You may also choose to access a free-standing midwifery unit outside of our area. Please talk to your midwife to discuss your choice.
Community Midwife Teams
Princess Alexandra Maternity Unit
Tel: 01279 827 102 option 3
Tel: 01279 441 607 (ask for the Maternity Bleep Holder)
Watford General Hospital Maternity Unit
Please contact your named midwife directly on the mobile number you will be given.
Please see alternative contact numbers below:
Watford General Hospital
Tel: 01923 217361
Hemel Hempstead
Tel: 01442 287789
St Albans City Hospital
Tel: 01727 897394
East & North Herts NHS Trust
Please contact your named midwife directly on the number you will be given.
Please see alternative contact numbers below:
East & North Herts Community Midwife Team information
Tel: 07917 505 287
Core services available at all Herts and West Essex LMNS maternity units:
- Midwife-led care
- Consultant led care
- Fetal medicine service
- Specialist diabetes service
- Ultrasound service
- Perinatal mental health service
- Specialist birth options/planning service
- Birth preparation classes
- Antenatal care in the community
- Antenatal ward
- Maternity day assessment unit
- Maternity triage service
- Home birth service
- Alongside midwife-led birth centre
- Labour ward
- Birthing pools
- Individual rooms for labour & birth
- 24 hour epidural service on labour ward
- Maternity theatre service on labour ward
- Infant feeding specialists
- Specialist neonatal care from 28 weeks
- Postnatal ward
- Postnatal care at home and in community clinics
- Private room hire
Each maternity unit in Herts and West Essex is linked to its hospital trust’s charity. Hospital charities raise money via fundraising activities for parents and staff and by coordinating and receiving charitable donations. Money raised is re-invested into service improvement projects. Find out more about your local NHS hospital charity.
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
You can decide where in Herts and West Essex LMNS you want to receive your maternity care during pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Information on maternity services in Herts and West Essex LMS is available in other languages here:
Women and their families are encouraged to provide feedback via our purpose-built feedback websites (links below) to help us continually improve our services. You can also give your feedback to your maternity teams via the following methods:
- Face-to-face if you are currently in hospital
- Telephone
- Letter
- Local Maternity Voices Partnership group
Please ask your midwife for further information.
The friends and family test has been paused at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and The Princess Alexandra Hospitals NHS Trust during the response to COVID-19.
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust PALSEmail: pals.enh-tr@nhs.net
Tel: 01438 285811
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Email: paht.pals@nhs.net
Tel: 01279 827211
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
The West Herts maternity online feedback site is currently under redevelopment.Email: westherts.pals@nhs.net
Tel: 01923 217198
Essex
Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service
Harlow North Healthy Family Team
Kao Park
London Road
Harlow CM17 9NA
Tel: 0300 247 0122
Email: vcl.essexwest-hftcentraladminhub@nhs.net
Harlow South Healthy Family Team
Tree House Family Hub
Parnall Road
Harlow CM18 7NG
Tel: 0300 247 0122
Email: vcl.essexwest-hftcentraladminhub@nhs.net
Epping and Waltham Abbey Healthy Family Team
Brambles Family Hub, Epping Library
St John’s Road
Epping CM16 5DN
Tel: 01992 602 330
Email: vcl.essexwest-eppingadmin@nhs.net
Loughton and Buckhurst Hill Healthy Family Team
Brambles Family Hub, Epping Library
St John’s Road
Epping CM16 5DN
Tel: 01279 342165
Email: vcl.essexwest-hftcentraladminhub@nhs.net
Uttlesford Healthy Family Team
Saffron Walden Community Hospital
Radwinter Road
Saffron Walden CB11 3HY
Tel: 0300 247 0122
Email: vcl.essexwest-hftcentraladminhub@nhs.netHertfordshire Family Centre Services
Tel: 0300 123 7572Watford and Three Rivers
Westfield Family Centre (Main Hub)
Croxley View
Watford WD18 6NS
South Oxhey Family Centre (Main Hub)
C/o Oxhey Wood Primary School
Northwick Road
South Oxhey
Watford WD19 6NL
Duty Health Visitor:
Tel: 0300 123 7572 08:00 hrs – 17:00hrs Monday – Friday
Bushey & Oxhey
Tel: 020 8515 8210
Rickmansworth
Tel: 01923 775065
Watford Central
Tel: 01923 234282
Garston
Tel: 01923 243568
Email: watford&threerivers.fcsenquiries@inspireall.com
Hertsmere
The BECC Family Centre (Main Hub)
Shakespeare Drive
off Furzehill Road
Borehamwood WD6 2FD
Duty Health Visitor:
Tel: 0300 123 7572 08:00 hrs – 17:00hrs Monday- Friday.
Hertsmere
Tel: 020 8359 8520
Email: hertsmere.fcsenquiries@inspireall.com
Dacorum
Windmill Family Centre (Main Hub)
Broadfield Primary School
Broadfield Road
Hemel Hempstead HP2 4DW
Duty Health Visitor:
Tel: 0300 123 7572 08:00 hrs – 17:00hrs Monday- Friday.
Dacorum rural
Tel: 01442 285837
Hemel Hempstead
Tel: 01442 454655
Email: dacorum.fcsenquiries@inspireall.com
St Albans
Sopwell Family Centre (Main Hub)
C/o Mandeville Primary School
Mandeville Drive
St Albans AL1 2LE
Duty Health Visitor:
Tel: 0300 123 7572 08:00 hrs – 17:00hrs Monday- Friday.
St Albans
Tel: 01727 891300
Email: stalbans.fcsenquiries@inspireall.com
Harpenden and Villages
To contact your health visiting team, please call our duty line:
Tel: 0300 123 7572 08:00 hrs – 17:00hrs Monday- Friday.
Duty Health Visitor:
Tel: 0300 123 7572 08:00 hrs – 17:00hrs Monday- Friday.
Lister Stevenage Maternity Voices Partnership
Email: listermvp@gmail.comWest Hertfordshire Maternity Voices Partnership
Email: westhertsmaternityvoices@gmail.comWest Essex Maternity Voices Partnership
Email: mvpwestessex@gmail.comNational Maternity Voices
Maternity care in Herts and West Essex
This app, originally developed by North West London Local Maternity System, has been adapted for use in the Herts and West Essex LMNS area.If you live outside of Herts and West Essex LMNS, you can still use this app’s content and develop your personal care plans. To find your nearest unit follow this link:
The Herts and West Essex Local Maternity and Neonatal System, in partnership with other services, support our women and families with their mental health, emotional wellbeing and mental health awareness. We consider your mental health and emotional wellbeing to be just as important as your physical health.
Please speak to your midwife or obstetrician if you need support with your mental health.
The following websites and telephone numbers can also be used to access advice and support:
Hertfordshire
If you need urgent support please contact our Single Point of Access number.
Tel: 0800 644 4101
West Essex
If you need urgent support please call the Crisis Line.
Tel: 0330 726 0110
National maternal and neonatal programmes in Herts and West Essex
The Maternity and Neonatal Safety Improvement Programme (MatNeoSIP)
This project aims to improve the safety and outcomes of maternal and neonatal care by reducing variation in practice and providing a high quality healthcare experience for all women babies and their families across England.PReCePT (Prevention of Cerebral Palsy in Preterm Labour)
The PReCePT programme aims to reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy in babies born prematurely by giving women a medication called magnesium sulphate during labour. This programme is being rolled out across BOB and other activities include improving care, strengthening staff capability across maternal and neonatal units and supporting mothers to become more involved with their care to improve quality of life of preterm babies and their families.Private maternity hospitals
You can opt to have private healthcare during your pregnancy and birth. Find more information about private maternity units and locate specific private maternity units here.
Private rooms
All hospitals in Herts and West Essex have the option of private rooms for after the birth, and these vary in cost. Please ask your midwife for more information.Some Herts and West Essex maternity units participate in research projects.
To find out how you can participate in a research trial go to:
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Our vision statement
- We strive for continuous improvement ensuring women and families have a safe and positive, personalised care experience.
- Women and staff will work within a culture of kindness and trust to develop pathways that empower families to have proactive involvement, positively impacting health and wellbeing for the future.
- We will develop and invest in our workforce supporting them to provide quality care.
- Digital improvements will be utilised to share information across the LMNS and provide choice to service users in an accessible way.
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Depending on how many weeks pregnant you are, you may be offered medicines to try and slow down or stop your labour, antibiotics to reduce the risk of developing an infection, and steroid injections that are given to you, to help your baby’s lungs develop and prepare for life outside the womb should they be born early. If your baby is extremely preterm (less than 28 weeks) you may need to be transferred to a maternity unit with a neonatal intensive care unit.
In Herts and West Essex, each maternity unit has a local neonatal unit/special care baby unit caring for babies who need additional support. If your baby requires neonatal intensive care they may need to be transferred to a more specialist hospital. Please speak to your midwife or obstetrician for more information.
Midwife
You will meet several midwives throughout your pregnancy, birth and beyond. Midwives are the main caregiver when your pregnancy and birth are straight forward. In Herts & West Essex you will have a named midwife as part of a team to organise your maternity care.Obstetrician
An obstetrician is a doctor who specialise in the care of women during pregnancy, labour and after birth. You may be referred to an obstetrician if your midwife has any concerns about your pregnancy – for example, if you had a previous complication in pregnancy or if you have a long term illness. You can ask to see an obstetrician if you have any concerns you would like to discuss.Paediatrician/Neonatalogist(baby doctor)
Paediatricians or neonatologists are doctors specialising in the care of newborn babies and children. They will be involved in your care if early (premature) delivery is anticipated or if there are likely to be concerns about the health of your baby during or after the birth.Sonographer
These are professionals who undertake your ultrasound scans. They are specially trained to undertake scans during pregnancy.Maternity support worker
You may meet maternity support workers during pregnancy, birth or beyond. They support the maternity team and provide some of your care throughout the journey.Student midwife
In Herts and West Essex we work closely with local universities to support midwives in training. These students will work alongside their midwife ‘mentor’ and will ask for your consent before providing you with any care.Health Visitor
Health visitors work in teams. They work closely with the other professionals listed above, including GPs and organisations that support families where you live. Most families in England will be offered several review contacts and additional support depending on the individual needs of your family.The health promoting visit at 28 weeks of pregnancy, is the first time that the health visitor meets parents. A health needs assessment will be agreed, covering physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing. The health visitor will also discuss a number of issues, including transition to parenthood, how to enhance the parent-child bonding experience and how parents can help their baby’s early development.Other staff members
You may meet other members of staff or medical students, depending on your pregnancy needs and where you choose to have your care. Please click here for more information.Our objective
Herts and West Essex are committed to implementing the recommendations from Better Births, which aims to provide care that is "safer, more personalised, kinder, professional and more family friendly; where every woman has access to information to enable her to make decisions about her care; and where she and her baby can access support that is centred around their individual needs and circumstances".
Visit A Healthier Future to find out more about how you can get involved in health improvement projects in Herts and West Essex.
