Maternity services at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital 

**St Mary’s Maternity Unit in Poole is now permanently closed**

All emergency gynaecology and early pregnancy services will also be moving to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital from Monday 31 March. Anyone self-presenting with a suspected gynaecology issue should attend the Royal Bournemouth Hospital, not Poole.

Parking for those in labour or requiring urgent care will be available directly outside the BEACH Building. For routine appointments, patients are advised to use the designated car park which is clearly signposted. In addition, a support person will be permitted to stay for the duration of admission, ensuring families can benefit from a more comfortable and supportive experience. See our map here for more information.

Following delivery, and if there are no complications, mothers will remain in hospital for at least two hours. However, mothers and babies will only return home when they are well enough to do so. Comprehensive postnatal care is provided, either on the postnatal ward, or at home by the community midwives and maternity support workers.

Women with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or on the Transitional Care Unit may stay longer, as will women who have undergone assisted delivery or caesarean section.

Self-referral service

If you are more than six weeks pregnant, you can now book your care at Poole Hospital by completing our self referral form. Click here to find out more about the self-referral service