Homely changes make a difference to mums

THE maternity ward at Warwick Hospital will be one of the areas examined in a planning and infrastructure review.
Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board chair Mike Horan said while the facilities were adequate, in today’s age mothers expected the latest in pain relief facilities, including baths in birthing suits.
He said many people were impressed by the upgrade of the maternity ward at the Stanthorpe Hospital and wanted something comparable at Warwick.
The comments follow a tour of the maternity unit, nursery and theatre by the board last week.
But while staff members await the final study to be handed down later this year, less expensive enhancements have been made in the mean time.
Since her arrival, newly recruited director of nursing/facility manager Jane Waite has instigated a number of changes, including the purchase of patchwork quilts though a local supplier for the maternity unit.
“The quilts are just one way we have tried to make the unit more homely,” she said.
“They are only a small touch but haven’t gone unnoticed by our mums.
“We have received some lovely feedback from families who say that the quilts make them feel more at home.”
The Warwick Hospital has two birthing suites. On average, staff help deliver 160 babies each year.
The Darling Downs Hospital Health Service recorded a surplus of more than $17 million this year, which it intends to reinvest back into hospitals across the district.