Peterhead Maternity Unit refurbishment celebrated

A special tea party was held recently to celebrate the completed refurbishment of Peterhead Community Maternity Unit.

Midwives Al Shields, Lydia Rattray, Sheena McCallum and Ruth Dunbar with Gary, Zoe and Theo Patterson

The celebratory event was held on Tuesday, August 28 to celebrate the staff and women who have used the unit since the start of the year.

The Peterhead Community Maternity Unit (CMU) provides antenatal and postnatal care, scanning, day assessment, labour and birth assistance to women in Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Mintlaw, Central Buchan and Ellon.

The refurbishment was part of a wider refit of Peterhead Community Hospital.

Zoe, Gary and Theo Patterson with midwife Natalia Latham at the birthing pool Theo was born in

The unit now features a bright and modern reception area with adjacent birthing rooms that have been named the ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Moonlight’ suites.

Both of these suites now feature state-of-the-art birthing pools with associated mood lighting that give women a number of choices for their labour and birth.

A competition was held to name the rooms and the winner was student midwife Chloe Ellison.

Commenting, Chloe said: “No matter what time of the day or night, a new life will always shine bright.”

The Peterhead CMU Team

The unit as a whole creates a homely atmosphere for low risk women who wish to birth close to home and meet the criteria for a CMU.

The refurbished unit was officially opened by the midwives and special guests Zoe and Gary Patterson, along with their son Theo who was the first baby to be born in the newly installed birthing pools.

Since the refurbishment works started, the Peterhead Community Maternity Unit has received pieces of equipment donated by stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands.

Sonja Brakell, Midwifery Team Leader at Peterhead Community Maternity Unit, said: “We are delighted to formally open the refurbished midwife unit.

“The facilities are bright and modern, offering the very best to local women.

“As a true community facility, it seems fitting that our midwives will declare the facility open, along with the mum and baby who was the first pool delivery in the unit.”

The total cost of the work at the hospital exceeds £1m.

The NHS Grampian Endowment Fund has a key supporter of the refurbishment project.