Restrictions are being introduced at Hull’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) today to protect Hull’s most vulnerable babies from COVID-19.

Staff at the NICU are taking the steps to ensure the babies on the unit are shielded as much as possible from the dangers of the virus.

From today (Tuesday), just one parent will be able to visit the unit for the duration of the baby’s stay, unless their child is critically ill.  If two parents are able to visit because their child is critically ill or receiving end-of-life care, just one will be allowed by their baby’s cot at a time.

NICU staff are also working to set up a video link for parents where they can see their babies through a password-protected app.

Visiting parents will be allocated visiting times to ensure they are at a safe distance apart of at least two metres.

Only parents staying on the unit with their critically ill baby will be able to use the family kitchen with just one visitor allowed in at a time to maintain the two-metre isolation rule.

No visitors will be allowed for mothers and babies on Transitional Care in line with the policy for the rest of Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

Consultant Neonataologist Joanna Preece said: “We know how difficult this will be for families but they would expect us to do everything in our power to protect their babies and to maintain staffing levels to deliver this care.

“Our priority must be the babies in our care and taking these steps will ensure we are doing everything possible to reduce the risk of the virus being spread in the unit.”

NICU Manager Kate Lamming said: “I have written a letter for all parents to explain we have their babies’ best interests at heart. We are taking these steps to protect their babies, the staff who are caring for their babies and the parents themselves.

“We are very grateful for their understanding of the need to take these difficult steps.”

They were called on to step up to the plate as Hull’s hospitals prepared for the COVID-19 outbreak.

And staff on Ward 1 at Hull Royal Infirmary set aside their own concerns to be there for patients.

Since the beginning of March, Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has been working round the clock so Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital can provide the best possible care for people with the signs of COVID-19.

Changing Ward 1 from an acute medicine rapid discharge ward to a ward looking after people with suspected COVID-19 until the results of their screening tests are known was one of the first steps as preparations ramped up.

Julia Denley, Senior Matron in Acute Medicine, said: “I am tremendously proud of the staff on Ward 1. They took the challenge in their stride.

“Although initially anxious for their own safety and that of their families, they have followed all the advice from the infection control, arrived every day and night for their shifts and worked tirelessly as a team supporting not only themselves but the patients and relatives who have been anxiously awaiting the results.

“Their team spirit and tenacity to get a job done well has blown me away.”

Staff at both hospitals have been volunteering their services as the trust prepares to admit patients with COVID-19. While the vast majority of people who contract the disease will experience only mild or moderate symptoms, a small proportion will require hospital care.

With non-urgent operations and outpatient appointments cancelled last week, teams from these areas are undergoing retraining to be redeployed to other parts of the hospitals to assist frontline staff.

People have been seconded from their normal day-to-day jobs to coordinate the trust’s response to the outbreak.

From porters, housekeepers, estates, admin and support staff to nursing and midwifery teams, consultants, theatre staff doctors and allied health professionals, every department in the trust is assisting senior management planning and coping for COVID-19.

Chief Operating Officer Teresa Cope said: “I have never been more proud to work for the NHS. What I have seen over these past few weeks has given me confidence that our trust and our 9,000 staff are ready to help the people of Hull and the East Riding.

“We will do what it takes. We have the plans in place and our staff are already working above and beyond.

“We are in it together and people should be assured that our staff will do whatever they need to do to get us through this, however long it takes.”

When Lindsay Smith followed her mum Janet’s footsteps into the health service, she was just 16.

Now, as mums across Hull and East Yorkshire celebrate Mother’s Day today, our special mother and daughter are marking 62 years of service to patients in Hull.

Lindsay, who will celebrate 30 years with the NHS in September, said: “I’m so proud of my mum and everything she’s achieved. I never imagined that, between us, we’d have all these years of service to the NHS but it’s something we’re really proud of.”

Janet, who is 74 and is retiring after 32 years, said: “It’s been lovely to work with Lindsay and she’s got on great in the NHS.

“It’s working with patients that make the job for me. That and working in a friendly environment where everyone says hello.”

Janet worked as a hairdresser but decided to apply for the job as a cardiographer, helping to diagnose people with heart problems, at Hull Royal Infirmary after spotting a newspaper advert in 1988.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I got the call to say I had the job.”

Janet is now a senior cardiographer, still based at Hull Royal Infirmary. Although she had cut her hours down to two days a week, she is looking forward to spending time with husband Dale and their six grandchildren when social isolation is over.

“I suppose I could have gone on forever but it was the traffic that got to me in the end,” she said. “I was driving home, stuck in horrendous traffic at tea-time, and I just thought I didn’t need it anymore.”

Lindsay decided to follow her mum into the NHS after leaving school at 16. She joined the trust as a student medical technical officer in neurophysiology, working for the service which investigates the function of the nervous system to diagnose and monitor neurological disorders.

She is now Principle Clinical Physiologist in neurophysiology, part of the team based at Gladstone Street.

Now with her own two children Cameron, 14, and Georgia, 11, Lindsay says her mother’s friendship and experience has been crucial in developing her own career.

“Obviously, I’m not living at home now but it’s still funny when I see my mum in the lift at work or when we’re on the same ward seeing a patient,” she said.

“I’ve asked her about patients and she’s sent referrals to me. We’ve got very similar personalities and we’ve always been really good at communicating with each other.”

When Janet, who lives in Hedon, and Lindsay, who lives in Burton Pidsea, see each other outside work, they try not to “talk shop”.

“We do try but it doesn’t always work,” said Lindsay. “It’s good to talk to someone else who understands and we can help each other.”

Chris Long, Chief Executive of Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Sadly, we can confirm that a man who was being cared for at Castle Hill Hospital and had tested positive for COVID-19 has died.

“The man, who was in his 60s, had underlying health conditions.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family at this difficult and distressing time.

“We ask that the media respect the wishes of the family for privacy as they cope with the loss of their loved one.”

Non-urgent outpatient appointments and routine surgery at Hull’s hospitals will be postponed from today to allow staff to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is cancelling some elective procedures and outpatient appointments following a national announcement by NHS England to free up 12,000 to 15,000 hospital beds around the country.

However, emergency operations and admissions, cancer treatment and clinically urgent work will still go ahead.

Cancelling non-urgent operations and outpatient appointments from today will free up staff to undertake training, beds, theatres and recovery facilities ahead of the predicted COVID-19 peak in a few weeks.

Jacqueline Myers, the trust’s Director of Strategy and Planning, said: “As the Chief Medical Officer has stated, NHS services are likely to come under intense pressure as the coronavirus spreads. We need to ensure that we have as many beds available as possible to care for patients with severe respiratory problems when the number of infections peaks.

“Therefore, in line with well-established plans for situations like this, every hospital in England has now been asked to suspend all non-urgent elective operations for at least three months, with some other procedures likely to be rescheduled so we can train our staff and adapt certain areas.

“Urgent and emergency cases and cancer treatments will be carrying on as normal, but we know many people waiting for treatment will be disappointed or worried and we will be contacting everyone affected as soon as possible.”

The trust’s patient admin team are working as fast as possible to alert patients who have appointments over the next few days and weeks and are appealing to the public not to call the hospital about their appointments.

If your appointment is within the next seven days and is to be cancelled or changed to a telephone consultation, you will receive a telephone call from the Patient Admin team and a follow-up letter.

If your appointment is more than seven days from now, you will receive a letter if your appointment is to be cancelled or changed to a telephone consultation.

Some patients will still be required to attend to continue treatment so, if you do not receive a letter or a phone call, please turn up for your appointment as normal.

A midwife at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital has collected thousands of empty crisp packets from staff and patients to help children who have lost a parent.

Kim Preece started collecting crisp packets after a neighbour set up Bereaved Children Support in York.

Now, Kim, a midwife on Maple Ward, has collected thousands to be sent to a well-known crisp manufacturer for recycling, saving them from landfill, while raising money for the charity.

She said: “My neighbour had asked if we would help to support the children for children who have lost one of their parents. She has lost her husband and although there was plenty of support for her, she found there wasn’t very much for her two young children.

“She got in touch with other parents and they set up the charity. The manufacturer said they would do what they could to support them and we came up with the idea of collecting crisp packets for recycling.”

The money raised by the charity is used to pay for counselling or arts and crafts at monthly meetings to help the children express themselves.

In December, the charity raised £237, which funded 15 hours of counselling or an entire year of arts and crafts materials.

Kim, who has been a midwife for 17 years after originally training as a nurse, said: “I told the staff on Maple and Rowan Wards that I was collecting crisp packets and why and they all agreed to help me.

“I’ve collected thousands and I would just like to thank everyone who has supported me and the charity.”

Lead Midwife Lorraine Cooper sprang into action during a visit by England’s most senior midwife when a woman gave birth outside Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

Lorraine was sitting in her car waiting to drive Chief Midwifery Officer Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent to Paragon Interchange when she spotted the woman about to give birth in the car park.

A midwife for 25 years and now Lead Midwife at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Lorraine rushed over to help the mother as her baby was born.

Lead Midwife Lorraine Cooper

Lorraine said: “I was waiting outside the hospital and saw a car drive up really quickly behind me and a man rush inside.“I suspected someone might be needing help so I went over to the car. I didn’t have my uniform on so I introduced myself as a midwife and offered to help the woman. I could see the baby was well on the way.”

Lorraine helped the mother stay calm and her baby girl arrived minutes later. She then took Professor Dunkley-Bent to the train station to catch a train home to London.

“It’s the second time I’ve helped a woman deliver her baby in a car and I’m just glad I was there to help,” said Lorraine. “I was just in the right place at the right time.

“I went to check on them when I came back from the train station and both mother and baby were fine.”

Professor Dunkley-Bent presented awards to the team during her visit

Professor Dunkley-Bent  was appointed Chief Midwifery Officer last year and has been touring the country’s maternity hospitals.

She was visiting Hull on Friday to see staff and services at Women and Children’s Hospital and the new Allam Medical Building at the University of Hull.

During her visit to the maternity hospital, she was shown the Fatima Allam Birth Centre, met staff on the labour and post-natal wards and was introduced to staff helping women in need of additional support through the antenatal work.

Professor Dunkley-Bent  learned about the Continuity of Carer teams at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, helping to ensure women see the same midwife throughout their pregnancy and when their baby is born.

She presented the trust’s Head of Midwifery Janet Cairns with a gold Chief Midwifery Officer’s award and also the trust’s Ivy, Primrose and Willow Continuity of Carer teams with silver awards.

Staff at Hull’s birth centre are celebrating a record-breaking start to the year after the 100^th baby was born there in just six weeks.

Hessle couple Lorna Easton, 23, and Steven Clarke, 25, opted to have baby daughter Polly at the Fatima Allam Birth Centre at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

Baby Polly arrived in the world under water on Monday, weighing 7lb 3oz, with midwife Eloise Taylor on hand.

Today, hairdresser Lorna said: “We’d heard great things about the birth centre from our friends so we were really keen to have our baby in such a relaxed environment.

“I thought a water birth would help me to relax and Eloise said it would be a great way to help.”

The birth centre – named after Fatima Allam, wife of Hull businessman and philanthropist Dr Assem Allam, in recognition of the support the Allam family has given to Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, opened in 2017.

In just three years, its birth rate has tripled as more women in Hull and the East Riding opt to have their babies at the midwifery-led unit.

Lorna Easton and baby Polly with midwife Eloise Taylor

Katie Headlam, who manages the unit, said: “To reach 100 babies in just six weeks is a phenomenal achievement and shows how popular the birth centre has become. We’re really grateful for the continuing support of the Allam family in being able to provide this wonderful service for families in Hull.

“Reaching 100 babies so quickly in 2020 shows that women feel more confident and understand they have choices about their birth, able to choose which option best suits their and their baby’s needs, and our highly skilled staff will support them.”

As well as offering women a more natural approach to child birth, the unit also has its own Continuity of Carer team of midwives – Willow – and the team supports the women through antenatal appointments, during the birth and after their babies are born.

Anyone interested in being supported by Willow or who wishes to find out more about the Fatima Allam Birth Centre should contact the Birth Centre directly on 01482 607860.

Couples preparing for the arrival of their new baby are to be given support from midwives at the next HEY Baby Carousel to cope with their child crying.

Midwives from Hull Women and Children’s Hospital will be on hand to help parents-to-be manage stress and develop coping mechanisms if their baby cries often.

People will be given the chance to watch a special DVD dedicated to helping new parents keep their baby safe as they cope with their new arrival into their lives.

Midwife Melanie Lee, who leads the Hey Baby team, said: “Looking after a baby isn’t easy, especially if the baby isn’t sleeping or feeding well or has colic.

“It’s important that parents are calm and relaxed and that their baby is always safe and this is a great way of equipping people with knowledge before their baby arrives.”

Hey Baby Carousel events are run by Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the drop-in events, running from 6pm to 8pm on the last Wednesday of every month, have proved hugely popular.

Midwives and health teams trained in pregnancy support, birth, home safety and child care will be at the next Carousel at Hull Royal Infirmary’s Clinical Skills Building in Fountain Street, on Wednesday, February 26.

Women and their partners can be guided through their birth plans, making the best choice for them and their babies. They can also sign MAT B1 forms required for maternity payments for working women and to enable them to benefit from free prescriptions and dental care.

Midwives from the Fatima Allam Birth Centre also attend the event to outline the service available to women with uncomplicated pregnancies  and couples can also find out information about home or water births.

Staff from the Labour Ward at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital will also be available to answer questions women may have about their birth options on the obstetric-led unit.

Mental health teams and voluntary group Andy’s Man Club will be on hand to speak to people who may be feeling overwhelmed by the thought of parenthood.