York midwives celebrate 40 years of maternity unit

Staff members Bev Waterhouse (L), Gemma Ellison and Sascha Wells Monro

York Hospital's maternity unit has celebrated its 40th anniversary with a trip down memory lane for staff.

Midwives working in the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at York were honoured throughout the week.

They attended a lunch on the unit, and saw a montage of photographs from the 1980s that included former NHS staff.

Bev Waterhouse, Deputy Head of Midwifery, said: "Being open for 40 years is an incredible achievement."

Speaking to BBC Radio York, she said: "The event has brought back a lot of memories and we even have staff now that were born in York in 1984.  

"It's been a very special week.

"In the 40 years since opening, we have seen many changes, but one fact remains the same and that is how proud we are to be midwives."

'Compassionate, kind care'

The unit was officially opened by the then Archbishop of York, Dr John Habgood, on 9 May 1984.  

Before this maternity unit opened, babies were born at the Fulford Maternity Hospital, but it closed in 1983.

Sascha Wells Monro, Director of Midwifery at the hospital, said the midwives that worked in the unit "really strive to provide compassionate, kind, individualised care".

"It's a relatively busy unit and we do face some challenges, but we are working to improve services, and we're engaging with women to understand what that needs to look like from their perspective.

"Every day there is good feedback from our public about the care our midwives and the wider disciplinary team are providing to them, and I think there is no one story better than another because they are equally unique."