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These can be printed out and used in your room or looked at on a phone or tablet

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A selection of videos promoting pelvic health, also in other languages

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Pelvic Health and Wellbeing during Pregnancy and After Birth Videos
To translate this page into another language then please use the recite me accessibility toolbar. The accessibility toolbar can be used to adjust elements for individual needs. This looks at aspects such as font style, size, colour, zoom functionality, keyboard navigation, screen readers and more.
The London Maternity Clinical Network has collaborated with Imperial College Healthcare Trust, North West London Local Maternity and Neonatal System (LMNS), South West London LMNS, South East London LMNS, LMNS service-user representatives, Maternity Voices Partnership, and other NHS professionals to create a series of videos about the changes the body undergoes before, during, and after birth. From pelvic floor health and bladder care, to posture and returning to exercise, these videos have been developed by NHS Physiotherapists and Healthcare professionals and will provide information and useful advice about supporting your body's journey through pregnancy and beyond.

These videos will enable women to:​

Understand and manage physiological changes that occur in pregnancy​

Optimise pelvic floor health​

Understand how to exercise safely in pregnancy and after birth ​

Be knowledgeable about self care in the postnatal period​

Know when to seek medical advice and referral​

Pelvic health and wellbeing during pregnancy and after birth
POGP are hosting these videos in support of the educational value and relevance of the content, this does not imply direct involvement in its development.

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Pelvic Health and Wellbeing during Pregnancy Videos

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To translate this page into another language then please use the recite me accessibility toolbar. The accessibility toolbar can be used to adjust elements for individual needs. This looks at aspects such as font style, size, colour, zoom functionality, keyboard navigation, screen readers and more.

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Your 40 week due date is only an estimate of when your baby may be born and many women and birthing people will still be pregnant beyond this date. It is usual for the baby to be born spontaneously between 37 and 42 weeks. In a small number of pregnancies where birth has not taken place by 41 weeks, your midwife will discuss options for a plan of care.

For some women, an earlier induction of labour will be recommended by the medical team and you will have a chance to discuss this with your caregivers. Take a look at this padlet for more information about the reasons and statistics behind these recommendations and also to help you in the decision-making process.

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Try this 3 minute breathing exercise to help you cope when you are feeling panicky

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Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership

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Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership

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Giving your feedback and shaping the future

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If your labour is being induced, please do look at the information in this column.

It is also possible that your labour may need some help (augmentation) and methods for doing this are also discussed here.

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The Labour Ward is the Consultant or Medical led area of the Maternity Department. It is staffed by midwives, but directly supported by Doctors. Any woman can choose to give birth here and it may be the recommended area if there are any medical concerns about you or your baby or if your doctor feels that your baby would benefit from continuous fetal monitoring. You can access all forms of pain relief here, including an epidural.

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Knowing when to come to hospital

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Knowing when to come to hospital

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- columns are titled for ease of search

- click on the website link (in red - if present) or photograph link to open the web page/document

- please scroll right to see all topics

- please scroll down each column to find additional links/research.

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More information about caesarean birth and your recovery

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More information about caesarean birth and your recovery

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Follow our Infant Feeding Team padlet for more detailed information about feeding

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Follow our Postnatal padlet for more detailed information about your care on the Postnatal Ward

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Latent stage of labour

The latent stage of labour is where your cervix starts to soften and open (dilate) so your baby can be born.

You may begin to feel irregular contractions, but it can take many hours, or even days, before you're in established labour. It's usually the longest stage of labour.

At this stage, your contractions may range from being slightly uncomfortable to more painful. There's no set pattern to how many contractions you get or how long they last.

During the latent stage, it's a good idea to have something to eat and drink because you'll need energy for when labour is established.

If your labour starts at night, try to stay comfortable and relaxed. Sleep if you can.

If your labour starts during the day, stay upright and gently active. This helps your baby move down into your pelvis and helps your cervix to dilate.

Breathing exercises, massage and having a warm bath or shower may help ease pain during this early stage of labour.

Established labour (1st stage of labour)

Established labour is where your cervix has dilated to about 4cm and your contractions are stronger and more regular.

When to contact a midwife

Call your midwife or maternity unit if:

your contractions are regular (every 5 minutes or more often)

your waters break

your contractions are very strong and you feel you need pain relief

you're worried about anything

If you go into hospital before your labour has become established, they may suggest you go home again for a while.

Once labour is established, your midwife will check on you from time to time to see how you're progressing and offer you support, including pain relief if you need it.

You can either walk around or get into a position that feels comfortable to labour in.

Your midwife will offer you regular vaginal examinations to see how your labour is progressing. If you do not want to have these, you do not have to - your midwife can discuss with you why she's offering them.

Your cervix needs to open about 10cm for your baby to pass through it. This is what's called being fully dilated.

In a 1st pregnancy, the time from the start of established labour to being fully dilated is usually 8 to 18 hours. It's often quicker (around 5 to 12 hours), in a 2nd or 3rd pregnancy.

When you reach the end of the 1st stage of labour, you may feel an urge to push.

Monitoring your baby in labour

Your midwife will monitor you and your baby during labour to make sure you're both coping well.

This will include using a small handheld device to listen to your baby's heart every 15 minutes. You'll be free to move around as much as you want.

Your midwife may suggest electronic monitoring if there are any concerns about you or your baby, or if you choose to have an epidural.

Electronic monitoring involves strapping 2 pads to your bump. One pad is used to monitor your contractions and the other is used to monitor your baby's heartbeat. These pads are attached to a monitor that shows your baby's heartbeat and your contractions

Sometimes a heart monitor called a foetal scalp electrode can be attached to the baby's head instead. This can give a more accurate measurement of your baby's heartbeat.

You can ask to be monitored electronically even if there are no concerns. Having electronic monitoring can sometimes restrict how much you can move around. Your midwife can discuss this with you.

If you have electronic monitoring with pads on your bump because there are concerns about your baby's heartbeat, you can take the monitor off if your baby's heartbeat is shown to be normal.

A foetal scalp electrode will usually only be removed just as your baby is born, not before.

Speeding up labour

Labour can sometimes be slower than expected. This can happen if your contractions are not coming often enough, are not strong enough, or if your baby is in an awkward position.

If this is the case, your doctor or midwife may talk to you about 2 ways to speed up your labour: breaking your waters or an oxytocin drip.

Breaking your waters

Breaking the membrane that contains the fluid around your baby (your waters) is often enough to make contractions stronger and more regular. This is also known as artificial rupture of the membranes (ARM).

Your midwife or doctor can do this by making a small break in the membrane during a vaginal examination. This may make your contractions feel stronger and more painful, so your midwife will talk to you about pain relief.

Oxytocin drip

If breaking your waters does not work, your doctor or midwife may suggest using a medicine called oxytocin (also known as syntocinon) to make your contractions stronger. This is given through a drip that goes into a vein, usually in your wrist or arm.

Oxytocin can make your contractions stronger and more regular and can start to work quite quickly, so your midwife will talk to you about your options for pain relief.

You will also need electronic monitoring to check your baby is coping with the contractions, as well as regular vaginal examinations to check the drip is working.

2nd stage of labour

The 2nd stage of labour lasts from when your cervix is fully dilated until the birth of your baby.

Finding a position to give birth in

Your midwife will help you find a comfortable position to give birth in. You may want to sit, lie on your side, stand, kneel, or squat, although squatting may be difficult if you're not used to it.

If you've had lots of backache while in labour, kneeling on all fours may help. It's a good idea to try some of these positions before you go into labour. Talk to your birth partner so they know how they can help you.

Find out what your birth partner can do.

Pushing your baby out

When your cervix is fully dilated, your baby will move further down the birth canal towards the entrance to your vagina. You may get an urge to push that feels a bit like you need to poo.

You can push during contractions whenever you feel the urge. You may not feel the urge to push immediately. If you have had an epidural, you may not feel an urge to push at all.

If you're having your 1st baby, this pushing stage should last no longer than 3 hours. If you've had a baby before, it should take no more than 2 hours.

This stage of labour is hard work, but your midwife will help and encourage you. Your birth partner can also support you.

What happens when your baby is born

When your baby's head is almost ready to come out, your midwife will ask you to stop pushing and take some short breaths, blowing them out through your mouth.

This is so your baby's head can be born slowly and gently, giving the skin and muscles in the area between your vagina and anus (the perineum) time to stretch.

Sometimes your midwife or doctor will suggest an episiotomy to avoid a tear or to speed up delivery. This is a small cut made in your perineum.

You'll be given a local anaesthetic injection to numb the area before the cut is made. Once your baby is born, an episiotomy, or any large tears, will be stitched closed.

Find out about your body after the birth, including how to deal with stitches.

Once your baby's head is born, most of the hard work is over. The rest of their body is usually born during the next 1 or 2 contractions.

You'll usually be able to hold your baby immediately and enjoy some skin-to-skin time together.

You can breastfeed your baby as soon as you like. Ideally, your baby will have their 1st feed within 1 hour of birth.

Read more about skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding in the first few days.

3rd stage of labour

The 3rd stage of labour happens after your baby is born, when your womb contracts and the placenta comes out through your vagina.

There are 2 ways to manage this stage of labour:

active - when you have treatment to make it happen faster

physiological - when you have no treatment and this stage happens naturally

Your midwife will explain both ways to you while you're still pregnant or during early labour, so you can decide which you would prefer.

There are some situations where physiological management is not advisable. Your midwife or doctor can explain if this is the case for you.

What is active management?

Your midwife will give you an injection of oxytocin into your thigh as you give birth, or soon after. This makes your womb contract.

Evidence suggests it's better not to cut the umbilical cord immediately, so your midwife will wait to do this between 1 and 5 minutes after birth. This may be done sooner if there are concerns about you or your baby - for example, if the cord is wound tightly around your baby's neck.

Once the placenta has come away from your womb, your midwife pulls the cord - which is attached to the placenta - and pulls the placenta out through your vagina. This usually happens within 30 minutes of your baby being born.

Active management speeds up the delivery of the placenta and lowers your risk of having heavy bleeding after the birth (postpartum haemorrhage), but it increases the chance of you feeling and being sick. It can also make afterpains (contraction-like pains after birth) worse.

Read more about preventing heavy bleeding after birth.

What is physiological management?

No oxytocin injection is given, and the 3rd stage of labour happens naturally.

The cord is not cut until it has stopped pulsing. This means blood is still passing from the placenta to your baby. This usually takes around 2 to 4 minutes.

Once the placenta has come away from your womb, you should feel some pressure in your bottom and you'll need to push the placenta out. It can take up to an hour for the placenta to come away, but it usually only takes a few minutes to push it out.

If the placenta does not come away naturally or you begin to bleed heavily, you'll be advised by your midwife or doctor to switch to active management. You can do this at any time during the 3rd stage of labour.

Read more about what happens straight after you give birth.

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Find out what happens during labour and birth, including the 3 stages of labour, contractions, dilation, birth positions and monitoring your baby.

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Connect with The Positive Birth Movement

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We are a global network of individuals and free to attend antenatal groups, linked up by social media. We connect pregnant women together to share stories, expertise and positivity about childbirth. Join us as we meet up, link up and shake up birth!

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Useful positions for labour to try

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Hand out from class

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Positions to try

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Some positions to try, particularly helpful when you have an epidural

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What does the research say ?

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Mental health issues during and after pregnancy - now in 18 languages !

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Perinatal Positivity uses the real voices and experiences of women and men who have had mental wellbeing difficulties around the time of pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. We hope it will help you emotionally prepare and find support, if needed, at this time. There are translations and subtitled versions of the film on our films page.

Perinatal mental health issues can happen in pregnancy and in the first years of being a parent (antenatal and postnatal). Problems can affect new mums as well as dads, people with no history of mental health problems as well as those who have. The word perinatal simply means the time around (peri) childbirth (natal).

Issues might include depression, anxiety, OCD, psychosis and post-traumatic stress amongst other things. Tommy's (pregnancy health information for parents) has an excellent guide: https://www.tommys.org

If you, or someone you are close to, is experiencing mental wellbeing problems connected to pregnancy and being a new parent , talk to your GP, health visitor or midwife a nd visit our support page to find local and national support organisations. Parents talk about the signs & symptoms they experienced in the video below.

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Perinatal Positivity Film - Perinatal Positivity

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Perinatal Positivity is a short, animated film to help new families safeguard their mental health. It uses the voices & experiences of real parents.

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Some things to try

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Midwife Marley on Instagram: "How to get baby into an optimal position for labour and birth.

Long labour?
Breech?
Sunnyside up?
Head not aligned in the pelvis?

These can help adjust things.

You can do these exercises in pregnancy and /or during labour if it's taking a long time to get going. It's also  beneficial for labour that seems to progress well and then stalls.

Often, the position of the baby is to blame for a long labour. It could be that the baby is sunny side up (back to back/OP) or maybe their head is tilted to the side or deflexed in the pelvis, making it difficult to rotate and bring their chin to their chest.

The forward leaning inversion technique is also good for turning breech babies and helping the head to engage if its high at full term, but don't try without speaking to your care provider. This move isn't advised if you have high blood pressure, polyhydramnios or glaucoma. The position should only be held for 30 seconds or so to prevent dizziness. In pregnancy you can do this 2-3 times per day. In labour, only do this if you feel comfortable.

If you have a long prodromal labour, trying the sidelying position helps you to get some rest, as well as creating more space in the pelvis.

The open knee chest can be done as an alternative to the forward leaning inversion. Practising this once or twice a day in pregnancy and early labour can be beneficial.

Walking up the stairs sideways is not only a good way to keep fit, but another way to create more pelvic space!

If you're expecting a baby, save this video for future reference, you never know, it might just come in handy!"

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968 likes, 23 comments - midwifemarley on January 15, 2023: "How to get baby into an optimal position for labour and birth.

Long labour?
Breech?
Sunnyside up..."

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Midwife Marley (@midwifemarley)

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Information from the NHS

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What you need to know about having an epidural

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What to expect

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Our Labour Ward Multi-disciplinary team perform a ward round each day at 08:30 and 20:30 hours to enable birthing women and people to collaboratively plan their care with the team working on Labour Ward.  This team will usually comprise of a Consultant Obstetrician, Senior Midwife, Specialist Obstetric Registrar and Senior House Office.

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Normal newborn appearance

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How do I choose ?

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Togel Hongkong - Togel Singapore - Togel Sidney - Keluaran SDY - Pengeluaran SGP - Data HK Hari Ini

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Togel Hongkong - Togel Singapore - Togel Sidney - Keluaran SDY - Pengeluaran SGP - Data HK Hari Ini

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Togel Hongkong - Togel Singapore - Togel Sidney - Keluaran SDY - Pengeluaran SGP - Data HK Hari Ini

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Togel Hongkong Togel Singapore Togel Sidney merupakan pasaran togel hari ini, dimana memiliki keluaran sdy, pengeluaran sgp dan data hk hari ini terlengkap.

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An explanation of what happens when your labour is induced.

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Signs of jaundice and what to do

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Your quick guide

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Your guide to a more positive and informed induction experience

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All parents are offered a thorough physical examination for their baby within 72 hours of giving birth.
The examination includes screening tests to find out if your baby has any problems with their eyes, heart, hips and, in boys, testicles (testes).

Coronavirus update

Newborn screening appointments and vaccinations are continuing as normal, including the:

newborn blood spot test

newborn hearing screening test

newborn physical examination

It's important to go to your appointments unless you, your baby or someone you live with has symptoms of coronavirus.

What is the newborn physical examination?

The newborn physical examination is usually carried out in hospital before you go home.

Sometimes it's done at a hospital or community clinic, GP surgery, children's centre or at home.

Ideally, both parents should be there when the examination is done.

The health professional doing the examination should explain what it involves.

This could be a doctor, midwife, nurse or health visitor who's been trained to do the examination.

Some parts of the examination may be a bit uncomfortable for your baby, but it will not cause them any pain.

The aim is to spot any problems early so treatment can be started as soon as possible. Usually, nothing of concern is found.

If the health professional carrying out the examination does find a possible problem, they may refer your baby for more tests.

You'll be offered another physical examination for your baby at 6 to 8 weeks, as some of the conditions it screens for can take a while to develop.

This second examination is usually done at your GP's surgery.

How is the newborn physical examination done?

The health professional will give your baby a thorough physical examination.

They'll also ask you questions about how your baby is feeding, how alert they are, and about their general wellbeing.

Your baby will need to be undressed for part of the examination.

During the examination, the health professional will also:

look into your baby's eyes with a special torch to check how their eyes look and move

listen to your baby's heart to check their heart sounds

examine their hips to check the joints

examine baby boys to see if their testicles have descended into the scrotum

What does the newborn physical examination check for?

The examination includes an overall physical check, plus 4 different screening tests.

Eyes

The health professional will check the appearance and movement of your baby's eyes.

They're looking for cataracts, which is a clouding of the transparent lens inside the eye, and other conditions.

About 2 or 3 in 10,000 babies are born with problems with their eyes that need treatment.

But the examination cannot tell you how well your baby can see.
Find out how cataracts are diagnosed and treated
Heart

The health professional will check your baby's heart. This is done by observing your baby, feeling your baby's pulses, and listening to their heart with a stethoscope.

Sometimes heart murmurs are picked up. A heart murmur is where the heartbeat has an extra or unusual sound caused by a disturbed blood flow through the heart.

Heart murmurs are common in babies. The heart is normal in almost all cases where a murmur is heard.

But about 1 in 200 babies has a heart problem that needs treatment.
Find out more about diagnosing and treating heart problems in newborns
Hips

Some newborns have hip joints that are not formed properly. This is known as developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Left untreated, it can cause a limp or joint problems. About 1 or 2 in 1,000 babies have DDH that needs to be treated.
Find out more about developmental dysplasia of the hip
Testicles

Baby boys are checked to make sure their testicles are in the right place.

During pregnancy, the testicles form inside the baby's body. They may not drop down into the scrotum until a few months after birth.

In about 1 in 100 baby boys, the testicles only descend partially or not at all.

This needs to be treated to prevent possible problems later in life, such as reduced fertility.
Find out more about undescended testicles

Does my baby have to have the examination?

The aim of the examination is to identify any of the problems early so treatment can be started as soon as possible.

It's strongly recommended for your baby, but not compulsory.

You can decide to have your baby examined and screened for any or all of the conditions.

If you have any concerns, you should talk to your midwife or the health professional offering the examination.

When will we get the results?

The health professional carrying out the examination will give you the results straight away.

If your baby needs to be referred for more tests, they'll discuss this with you there and then, too.

The results will be recorded in your baby's personal child health record (red book).

You'll need to keep this safe and have it to hand whenever your baby sees a health professional.

If you have any concerns, you can discuss them with your midwife or the health professional who does the examination.
Download a leaflet about screening tests for you and your baby

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All parents are offered a thorough physical examination for their baby within 72 hours of giving birth. The examination includes screening tests to find out if your baby has any problems with their eyes, heart, hips and, in boys, testicles (testes).

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A caesarean section, or C-section, is an operation to deliver your baby through a cut made in your tummy and womb.
The cut is usually made across your tummy, just below your bikini line.

A caesarean is a major operation that carries a number of risks, so it's usually only done if it's the safest option for you and your baby.

Around 1 in 4 pregnant women in the UK has a caesarean birth.

Why caesareans are carried out

A caesarean may be recommended as a planned (elective) procedure or done in an emergency if it's thought a vaginal birth is too risky.

Planned caesareans are usually done from the 39th week of pregnancy.

A caesarean may be carried out because:

your baby is in the breech position (feet first) and your doctor or midwife has been unable to turn them by applying gentle pressure to your tummy, or you'd prefer they did not try this

you have a low-lying placenta (placenta praevia)

you have pregnancy-related high blood pressure (pre-eclampsia)

you have certain infections, such as a first genital herpes infection occurring late in pregnancy or untreated HIV

your baby is not getting enough oxygen and nutrients - sometimes this may mean the baby needs to be delivered immediately

your labour is not progressing or there's excessive vaginal bleeding

If there's time to plan the procedure, your midwife or doctor will discuss the benefits and risks of a caesarean compared with a vaginal birth.

Asking for a caesarean

Some women choose to have a caesarean for non-medical reasons.

If you ask your midwife or doctor for a caesarean when there are not medical reasons, they'll explain the overall benefits and risks of a caesarean to you and your baby compared with a vaginal birth.

If you're anxious about giving birth, you should be offered the chance to discuss your anxiety with a healthcare professional who can offer support during your pregnancy and labour.

If after discussing all the risks and hearing about all the support on offer you still feel that a vaginal birth is not an acceptable option, you should be offered a planned caesarean. If your doctor is unwilling to perform the operation, they should refer you to a doctor who will.

What happens during a caesarean

Most caesareans are carried out under spinal or epidural anaesthetic.

This mean you'll be awake, but the lower part of your body is numbed so you will not feel any pain.

During the procedure:

a screen is placed across your body so you cannot see what's being done - the doctors and nurses will let you know what's happening

a cut about 10 to 20cm long will usually be made across your lower tummy and womb so your baby can be delivered

you may feel some tugging and pulling during the procedure

you and your birth partner will be able to see and hold your baby as soon as they have been delivered if they're well - a baby born by emergency caesarean because of foetal distress may be taken straight to a paediatrician for resuscitation

The whole operation normally takes about 40 to 50 minutes.

Occasionally, a general anaesthetic (where you're asleep) may be used, particularly if the baby needs to be delivered more quickly.
Find out more about how a caesarean is carried out

Recovering from a caesarean

Recovering from a caesarean usually takes longer than recovering from a vaginal delivery.

Providing there are no complications, most women can go home 1 to 2 days after having a caesarean.

You may experience some discomfort in your tummy for the first few days. You'll be offered painkillers to help with this.

When you go home, you'll need to take things easy at first. You may need to avoid some activities, such as driving, until you have had your postnatal check-up with the doctor at 6 weeks.

The wound in your tummy will eventually form a scar. This may be obvious at first, but it should fade with time and will often be hidden in your pubic hair.
Find out more about recovering from a caesarean

Risks of a caesarean

A caesarean is generally a very safe procedure, but like any type of surgery it carries a certain amount of risk.

It's important to be aware of the possible complications, particularly if you're considering having a caesarean for non-medical reasons.

Possible complications include:

infection of the wound or womb lining

blood clots

excessive bleeding

damage to nearby areas, such as the bladder or the tubes that connect the kidneys and bladder

temporary breathing difficulties in your baby

accidentally cutting your baby when your womb is opened

Find out more about the risks of a caesarean

Future pregnancies after a caesarean

If you have a baby by caesarean, it does not necessarily mean that any babies you have in the future will also have to be delivered this way.

Most women who have had a caesarean section can safely have a vaginal delivery for their next baby, known as vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC).

But you may need some extra monitoring during labour just to make sure everything is progressing well.

Some women may be advised to have another caesarean if they have another baby.

This depends on whether a caesarean is still the safest option for them and their baby.

For more information, read the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists leaflet on birth options after previous caesarean section.

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Find out why caesarean sections are carried out, whether you can ask for one, what they involve, and what the risks are.

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Comfort measures for babies in a posterior position

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Looking after yourself in labour - stay mobile and change position frequently to lessen the chance of pressure impact on your sacral soft tissues

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Using a Cooks Balloon Catheter

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Useful info and massage videos

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Baby Centre

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Will I have a student during my birth?

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An explanation of how we work to minimise tearing of the perineum

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Care during labour

Meconium is the baby's poo, and is sometimes found in the amniotic fluid ('waters') during labour. If the fluid contains thick meconium or lumps, your midwife will advise that you are transferred to an obstetric unit for the birth if you are not already there. This is so that your baby's heartbeat and your contractions can be monitored continuously using electronic monitoring and doctors are on hand to help if needed.

After your baby is born

If there has been thick or lumpy meconium during labour, your baby's heartbeat, breathing and colour will be checked carefully straight after the birth. If these are not normal, your baby's airways will be looked at and cleared out using suction. Even if your baby's heartbeat, breathing and colour are normal, she or he will be observed by a healthcare professional every 2 hours for 12 hours after the birth.

If there has been light meconium (not thick or lumpy), your baby should be checked 1 and 2 hours after birth.

Your baby may be assessed by a neonatologist if checks suggest any concerns. You should be told what is happening.

You should be advised about what to look out for and who to contact if you have any worries after the midwife has left if you have had a home birth, or after you and your baby have gone home from a birth unit.

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If there is meconium during labour | Information for the public | Intrapartum care for healthy women and babies | Guidance | NICE

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This guideline covers the care of healthy women and their babies, during labour and immediately after the birth. It focuses on women who give birth between 37

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Follow our NICU padlet for more detailed information about looking after a baby in Special Care

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Information from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

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Check out our feedback or give us your own

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The FFT is a national initiative which began in 2013, so called because patients were asked if they would recommend a hospital ward or department to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment.

The survey name remains the same, but, following a review in 2018/19, the survey now asks the question:
"Overall, how was your experience of our service?"
You can rank your answer from 'very good' to 'very poor'. You'll have the opportunity to explain your score by adding comments.

We read all your feedback and use it to improve our services and report on patients experience of care at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Your responses are free and anonymous. You will not be identified from your feedback.
How we use FFT feedback

The results of the survey are regularly shared will staff. Positive feedback helps staff to know what makes a difference to patient care. When the feedback is less positive, the Trust knows where improvement is needed.

How to give FFT feedback

You can leave feedback for us by clicking the links below

Please use the links below to complete the FFT questionnaire on your phone, tablet or computer.

Respond to a text or call from us

If you've recently visited our Emergency (A&E) Department, attended an outpatient appointment, used our maternity or sexual health service you might:

Receive a text to your mobile from the number 80870.

If we don't have a mobile number for you, you may receive an automated call to your home phone (landline).

If you are sent a text ...

Responding to the text is free. Please disregard any alerts (sent by some mobile networks) that you may be charged. These are automated generic warnings generated by some mobile networks for all 'short code' numbers.

If you're mobile network doesn't allow you to respond to the text. You can ask your mobile provider to unblock the number 80870 or alternatively leave feedback on our website using the links provided.

You can leave feedback at any point during your stay or visit to hospital

Every inpatient ward, outpatient department has FFT survey forms. A member of staff should offer you the chance to give feedback anonymously using the form before you leave hospital but you can ask for an FFT survey form at any time during your stay.

Our external FFT provider and your information

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has asked Healthcare Communications to contact patients on behalf of the Trust with text messages and phone calls for feedback. All contact details are encrypted before they are securely transferred and held in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998).

What to do if you do not wish to take part

If you wish to opt out from giving feedback, you can do this in one of the following two ways:

Reply 'STOP' if you receive a text message.

Use the 'Opt Out' feature when you are telephoned.

Our results

All NHS trusts are required to publish their FFT results. You can see all results on the NHS England website.

If you have any further questions or queries, please do contact the patient experience team at chelwest.patientexperience@nhs.net.

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The FFT is a national initiative which began in 2013, so called because patients were asked if they would recommend a hospital ward or department to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment. The survey name remains the same, but, following a review in 2018/19, the survey now asks the question: "Overall, how was your experience of our service?"

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What happens if your baby needs a little more help to be born?

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Find out about assisted birth or assisted delivery, which uses forceps or vacuum (ventouse) to help deliver the baby.