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Maternity care in Argyll and Bute

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Contacts for our community maternity teams (community midwives) and community midwifery units.

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What we do

When you find out that you are pregnant, you can contact us. You will be allocated a named midwife. This is usually allocated according to the GP surgery that you are registered with. Your booking appointment is usually around 8 weeks; at this appointment the midwife will discuss all of your care options and birth choices with you. She will support you throughout your pregnancy and after the baby is born. After your baby is born, we will visit you at home until around day 10 when we hand over your care to a health visitor.

Antenatal classes (sometimes called parentcraft classes) can help you to prepare for your baby’s birth, how best to look after and feed your baby. These classes offer you support for your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Midwives will guide you through up-to-date, evidence-based information and provide practical tips in a relaxed and open-minded environment. We cover topics such as:

  • preparing for birth
  • choices for place of birth
  • labour
  • relaxation techniques - we may use the Wise Hippo method
  • pain relief
  • postnatal care for both you and your baby
  • feeding your baby

Argyll and Bute contacts

Cowal Maternity Services

Team leader

Lorna Low

Where to find us

Maternity Unit
Cowal Community Hospital
Dunoon

How to contact us

  • phone 01369 706612 - after 7pm calls on this number are transferred to the on-call midwife
  • phone 01369 708326 - leave a message on the answering service if the call is non-urgent and out-of-hours
  • email cowal.midwives@nhs.scot - please do not use email regarding clinical concerns requiring assessment or an immediate response

Hours when staffed

Cowal Maternity Unit is open 7 days a week. A midwife is available in the unit between 8am and 7pm, with an on-call service for local births and emergencies overnight.

What we do

We provide hypnobirthing, parent education and baby massage classes in the unit. Your midwife will give you more details of these.

Islay Community Midwifery Service

Team leader

Becky Brown

Where to find us

Maternity Unit
Islay Hospital
Bowmore

How to contact us

phone 01496 301014

Hours when staffed

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Kintyre Maternity Team and Community Midwifery Unit

Team leader

Becky Brown

Where to find us

Maternity Unit
Campbeltown Hospital
Campbeltown

How to contact us

phone 01586 555827

Hours when staffed

7 days a week, 8am to 6pm (24 hour on call).

Mid Argyll Maternity Unit

Team leader

Nicky McGovern

Where to find us

Maternity Unit
Mid Argyll Community Hospital and Integrated Care Centre
Lochgilphead

How to contact us

phone 01546 703050

Hours when staffed

The unit is staffed between the hours of 0800 to 1800. An on-call service operates from 1800 to 0800 for emergencies.

Oban Maternity and Women’s Health

Team leader

  • Elayne Starkey
  • Ronnie Allan (depute team lead)

Where to find us

Maternity Unit
Lorn and Islands Hospital
Oban

How to contact us

  • phone 01631 788911 (main office)
  • phone 01631 789074 (scanning)
  • phone 01631 788962 (team lead)

Hours when staffed

24 hours, with on-call from 6.30pm until 8.00am

What we do

You will be allocated a named midwife and 'buddy' midwife.

Your booking appointment is usually around 8 weeks. At this appointment the midwife will discuss all of your care options and birth choices with you. She will support you throughout your pregnancy and after the baby is born. Our team will support you during labour and birth, should you choose a local birth. We have a virtual obstetric consultant clinic fortnightly with your consultant from the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Ultrasound scanning is available in Oban from booking, which includes dating (from 11+2 weeks), fetal anomaly and growth scans, this dependent on your choice of consultant unit.

We cover a large geographical area, including the inner Hebrides around Oban.

Antenatal classes are held face-to-face in the Oban maternity unit at present. Aquanatal classes are held at the Atlantis Leisure Centre, alternate Wednesdays at 11.00am. Please book either with your named midwife or phone the unit.

Rothesay Community Maternity Unit 

Team leader

Lesley McArthur

Where to find us

Community Maternity Unit
Victoria Hospital
Rothesay

How to contact us

Hours when staffed

Usually 9.00am to 7.00pm or 9.00am to 5.00pm, depending on shift patterns.

Last updated: 2 September 2024

Next review date: 29 November 2024