Maternity Care Facilities

This topic covers the policy and service context, and planning and design considerations for maternity care facilities.The planning and design manual covers the following: 1. antenatal clinics, early pregnancy assessment units, pregnancy (fetal and maternal) assessment units; 2. birthing facilities and in-patient areas, including the requirements forthe routine care of neonates; 3. obstetric theatres. It covers facilities provided in: 1. midwife-led units, often known as birth centres...
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This topic covers the policy and service context, and planning and design considerations for maternity care facilities.The planning and design manual covers the following: 1. antenatal clinics, early pregnancy assessment units, pregnancy (fetal and maternal) assessment units; 2. birthing facilities and in-patient areas, including the requirements forthe routine care of neonates; 3. obstetric theatres. It covers facilities provided in: 1. midwife-led units, often known as birth centres - which may be located alongside a consultant-led unit on an acute hospital site, colocated with a community healthcare facility, or exist as a stand-alone centre; 2. consultant-led units. The guidance recognises that the services and facilities provision will be different between CLUs and MLUs. It also recognises that MLUs located alongside a CLU may have differences in provision to those that are separate.