Conquest Hospital Consultant Led Maternity Unit

At Conquest Hospital Consultant-Led Maternity Unit doctors are available 24 hours a day. They are able to perform epidurals for pain relief, assisted and emergency births and there is a Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU).

Women who have certain medical conditions or who have complications during their pregnancy for themselves and their baby are advised to give birth in a Consultant Led Unit, but women with uncomplicated pregnancies can choose this too. The facilities available include:

Buchanan Delivery Suite

The Buchanan delivery suite has 10 rooms, one Theatre and two Recovery beds. There is 24 hour cover from anaesthetist and obstetricians to assist women if required at any time.

There are Elective Caesarean section lists on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays.

Visiting times vary, please contact the ward for details.

Frank Shaw Ward (Postnatal Ward)

On Frank Shaw ward there is a five bedded Transitional Care Bay – this is where the midwife is responsible for the care of the woman and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) staff nurses for the Baby’s care. Transitional care provides additional support for babies that do not require SCBU services and are not quite ready for the postnatal ward, for example babies born a little early.

We have a further four bays of four postnatal beds, and a further three side rooms.

  • B Bay – has four beds and is used for the C-section mothers so they are close by for monitoring
  • C Bay – four bedded postnatal
  • D Bay – four bedded postnatal
  • F Bay – has four beds and is used for the C-Section mothers so they are close by for monitoring
  • In addition there are three side rooms available.

The midwives provide individualised postnatal care to women. Transitional care for the neonates is provided by the Nurses from SCBU. Midwives provide postnatal care to the mother whose baby is receiving transitional care. The length of stay for a postnatal woman can be between six hours and five days.

Visiting Times
Partners – 9.00am to 9.00pm
Mother’s own children – 9.00am to 6.00pm
Visitors – 2.00pm to 8.00pm

Murray ward (antenatal ward)

Murray ward has 12 beds and women can be admitted to Murray 24 hours a day. Women requiring induction of labour will also be admitted to Murray ward.

Murray ward has:

  • Six Induction of Labour Beds
  • Six Antenatal admission beds
  • One side room.

The Maternity Day assessment unit is also run from Murray ward and they have a further four beds for seeing women throughout each day with appointments that can be referred in by the triage midwife, community midwife, GP or a previous appointment made when admitted or when seen in antenatal clinic by the consultant.

Some of our antenatal clinics also run from Murray ward and also from Area B on Level 3 of Conquest Hospital.

Visiting Times
Partners – 9.00am to 9.00pm
Mother’s own children – 9.00am to 6.00pm
Visitors – 2.00pm to 8.00pm

Mirrlees Ward

Mirrlees Ward is an Early Pregnancy Unit and Gynaecology Emergency Ward, with some Inpatient facilities.

Visiting Times
2:30pm to 8.00pm

We provide this service at

Conquest Hospital

Conquest Hospital Consultant-Led Maternity Unit
The Ridge, St Leonards-on-Sea
East Sussex, TN37 7RD
Tel: 0300 131 4500