WOMEN and families can now look around their local maternity services from home, thanks to three new virtual tours from the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT).

The videos take a closer look at the facilities inside the maternity units at Westmorland General Hospital, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the brand new South Lakes Birth Centre at Furness General Hospital. They also introduce some of the staff that women would meet during a visit.

Mandy Plackett, UHMBT Community Matron, said; “Our new virtual tours are a great way to show women what they can expect to see in our maternity units.

"Visiting hospital can be a daunting prospect, and we want to make sure that mums and their families feel as comfortable and calm as possible during their time with us.”

Carol Carlile, Head of Midwifery at UHMBT, said: “We have such a wide range of services in our maternity units, including the options of aromatherapy, water births and hypnobirthing.

"We are really confident that we have something to offer all families, with truly excellent services and friendly staff in each of our maternity units across Morecambe Bay. We hope that our virtual tours will help mums to choose the best service for them and their family.”

The virtual tours were created following feedback from stakeholders including the Maternity Voices Partnership – a service user group for the public and health professionals to work together to influence maternity services covering the entire Morecambe Bay area.

Mel Elliston, chair of the Maternity Voices Partnership, said: "When mums and their families visit hospitals, they often feel uncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings and with people who they don't know - which can make them feel quite anxious.

"I believe these films will benefit the whole family by putting them at ease, giving them an idea of what to expect, and helping them have confidence in being welcomed and cared for by a great team of staff."

All three maternity virtual tours can be viewed on the UHMBT website: https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/maternity/maternity/virtual-tours-our-maternity-services1/ or on the UHMBT Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/UHMBT.