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Maternity
Welcome to Maternity Services at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals
Welcome to Maternity Services at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals
We understand that having a baby is one of the most significant experiences of your life and choosing a maternity service to support you at this time is an important step.
Epsom and St Helier care for approximately 3,800 mother and babies every year and pride ourselves on continually listening to these families in order to develop and improve services. We were inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in December 2025 and are proud to share that we achieved “GOOD” in all areas inspected and were rated “OUTSTANDING” for being responsive. We also consistently score as one of the top performing maternity services in London according to patient feedback through the National CQC Maternity Survey and remain the only London Trust holding UNICEF’s prestigious GOLD Baby Friendly Award.
We offer midwifery led care in one of our two birth centres, with home from home facilities, access to hydrotherapy, aromatherapy and an environment which encourages a peaceful birthing experience.
Our labour wards are newly refurbished with ensuite facilities. They are staffed by highly skilled midwives, obstetricians and support staff who are onsite 24/7 to support more complex births or those who chose to deliver by caesarean section. Both the Epsom and St Helier labour wards have two dedicated state of the art maternity theatres available at all times and around the clock access to anaesthetists to provide care.
Antenatal care is provided on both sites as well as in local clinics and health centres enabling easier access. We also ensure a high level of postnatal care for you and your baby through home visits and access to postnatal clinics and feeding support.
In this section you'll find information on:
Maternity services
Flu information and resources
Flu occurs every year, usually in the winter, which is why it’s sometimes called seasonal flu. It’s a highly infectious disease with symptoms that come on very quickly. Colds are much less serious and usually start gradually with a stuffy or runny nose and a sore throat. A bad bout of flu can be much worse than a heavy cold. The most common symptoms of flu are fever, chills, headache, aches and pains in the joints and muscles, and extreme tiredness. Healthy individuals usually recover within two to seven days, but for some the disease can lead to hospitalisation, permanent disability or even death.
Please read the below information leaflet about the flu vaccination and why it is so important to patients of our maternity services.
Flu vaccination - who needs it and why? [pdf] 651KB
The International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes
As a Baby Friendly unit, we adhere to the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (opens in a new window). The code states that there should be no display or distribution of any materials produced by the manufacturers of breast milk substitutes, bottles, teats or dummies in any part of the healthcare facility.
This requirement is intended to restrict the influence of commercial interests around infant feeding and so protect breastfeeding and bottle-feeding mothers from inaccurate or misleading information.
Virtual tours
Please watch the video below for a neonatal virtual tour of St Helier Hospital.
Please watch the videos below for a virtual tour of our maternity departments at Epsom and St Helier.
Choosing the right help for you and your baby
The guide explains where to get the right support during pregnancy and after your baby is born, depending on your symptoms and how urgent they are.
- Under 16 weeks pregnant: Contact the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) for non-urgent concerns. If you have severe pain or heavy bleeding, attend the Emergency Department or call 999.
- Self-care: Use trusted resources such as the BadgerNotes app, NHS App and Baby Buddy for advice and to manage non-urgent concerns.
- Pharmacist: Can provide advice and treatment for minor illnesses and common pregnancy-related conditions, including coughs, colds, sore throats, thrush, heartburn and allergies.
- Community Midwife: Contact your midwife for routine pregnancy care, including appointments, mental health support, vaccinations, diet advice and personalised care plans.
- GP or NHS 111: For general health concerns, including early pregnancy advice before 16 weeks, urinary or respiratory infections, prescriptions, wound infections, haemorrhoids and concerns about an unwell baby.
- Call a Midwife maternity triage (0300 123 5473): Available 24/7 from 16 weeks of pregnancy until discharge from community postnatal care for urgent maternity concerns, including signs of labour, reduced baby movements, waters breaking, vaginal bleeding, severe headache, visual disturbances, high temperature, persistent itching and urgent newborn concerns.
- Emergency Department or 999: For life-threatening or serious emergencies, including severe bleeding, chest pain, breathing difficulties, seizures, severe injury, hyperemesis, an unresponsive baby or a mental health crisis.
Interpreters are available on request when calling services.
Key staff
Key Operational Staff:
Kathryn Hughes, Divisional Director of Operations – Women and Children’s Services
Yasmin Ashrafi, Women’s Health Service Manager
Carol Erzen, Division Co-ordinator
Key Midwifery Staff:
Annabelle Keegan, Director of Midwifery and Gynaecology Nursing
Elizabeth Cullen, Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology Nursing
Louse Emmett, Consultant Midwife for Normality
Julia Lidderdale, Consultant Midwife Public Health
Michelle Knight, Consultant Midwife
Suzanne Powroznyk, Lead Midwife for Inpatient Services St Helier
Mary Willocks, Interim Lead Midwife for Inpatient Services Epsom
Patience Ohikhena, Lead Midwife for Antenatal and Community Services
Diane Weir, Service Improvement and Transformation Lead Midwife
Alison Parker, Named Midwife for Safeguarding
Sue Taylor, Infant Feeding Lead
Infant Feeding Team (07975 232374 or email esth.infantfeedingservice@nhs.net )
Maria Mills-Shaw, Home Birth Lead Midwife
Key Obstetric Staff:
Radhika Viswanatha, Divisional Medical Director
Mr Haider Jan, Clinical Director
Radhi Viswanatha, Clinical Lead for Obstetrics
Jennifer Loudon, Labour Ward Clinical Lead
Key Neonatal Staff:
Dr Arun Kundu, Clinical Director for Paediatrics
Dr Salim Yasin, Clinical Lead for Paediatrics (St Helier Hospital/QMHC)
Dr Tim Marr/Dr Stephanie Kirk, Clinical Lead for Paediatrics (joint role, Epsom)
Dr Aileen Alston, Quality Lead Paediatrics (Trust-wide)
Nadine Mitchell, Head of Nursing (Paediatrics and Neonatal)
Julia Sinclair, Service Manager Paediatrics
Mary Shewell, Quality Manager for Paediatrics
Complementary Therapies
We also offer a number of complementary therapies at our Trust for our maternity patients. Please see the following leaflet for more information: Complementary therapies - information leaflet[pdf] 293KB
Local and national support groups and resources
Below are a list of local and national support groups and other resources which may be of use to pregnant women and new families.
- Public Health England Screening tests for you and your baby [pdf] 4MB - explains the screening tests offered during and after pregnancy
- ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices) (opens in a new window) - a national charity helping parents and healthcare professionals through antenatal screening and its consequences
- Down Syndrome Association (opens in a new window) - a national charity which aims is to help people with Down’s syndrome live full and rewarding lives.
- Positive about Down Syndrome (opens in a new window) - a website for parents and parents to be about Down syndrome
- Baby Buddy app - Baby Buddy is the go-to app for new parents, and it’s now available for free in Surrey and South West London! If you're expecting a baby or have recently had one, @BabyBuddyApp has everything you need with daily bite size information and over 300 videos from parents and health care professionals. Look after yourself and give your child the best start in life with Baby Buddy. Watch this short video to find out more and go to your app store to download. https://bit.ly/VideoBabyBuddy2
- Get on Downs (opens in a new window) - a parent lead support group in the London Borough of Sutton and surrounding areas. The support group meets weekly for coffee, chat and cake. Children of all ages are welcome to play with stimulating toys, in the sensory room or outdoors (weather permitting). They offer support and advice for new families, arrange useful speakers for informal discussions, social events, pamper sessions and spa days.
- SOFT (opens in a new window) - a support group for Trisomy 13 (Patau’s syndrome) and 18 (Edwards’ syndrome):
- Shine (opens in a new window) - specialist advice and support for spina bifida and hydrocephalus
- Miscarriage Association (opens in a new window) - information about pregnancy loss and support
- Tamba (opens in a new window) - Twins and Multiple Births Association.
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