Plans to upgrade and refurbish the maternity unit at Bassetlaw Hospital and Doncaster Royal Infirmary (DRI) have been unveiled.
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is going to create three new en-suite single rooms with their own showers at Bassetlaw Hospital.
The rooms will be used by a range of women, either before or after their babies are born.
At DRI, the trust, which runs both hospitals, will transform birthing pool facilities to offer women more choice when having their babies.
The birthing pool at DRI will be totally redesigned and upgraded with air conditioning, birthing aids and advanced resuscitation equipment.
The work will be funded by a £189,000 grant from the Department of Health as part of a national scheme to offer women the very best environment when giving birth in hospital and is set to be completed in the next few months.
A separate scheme, funded by the trust, will see the creation of a new early pregnancy assessment unit at Bassetlaw Hospital.
It will enable women who experience difficulties in early pregnancy or the heartbreak of miscarriage to be cared for in a sensitive way in a quiet, peaceful space well away from the maternity unit.
Deirdre Fowler, acting director of Nursing and Head of Midwifery at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals, said: “We deliver about 5,500 babies a year and we are very proud that so many women choose to give birth in our maternity units or to opt for home births with our midwives. Our whole philosophy is to ensure that each woman experiences the highest standard of care and has the best possible experience while under our care.”
“These exciting developments will significantly enhance facilities for those women who choose to deliver their babies at DRI and Bassetlaw Hospital so we are very pleased to announce them.”