Bournemouth Hospital £91m maternity unit welcomes first families
Bournemouth's new £91m maternity unit has begun welcoming its first expectant mothers.The BEACH building at Royal Bournemouth Hospital opens on Monday, replacing the ageing facilities at St Mary's in Poole.Amy House, who had her first child at St Mary's, is due to have her second at the new unit in May.She described the BEACH building as "amazing, huge, light and airy", with private space and room for partners to stay.
Ms House, who works in the hospital trust's admin team, said the birth of her first child during the Covid pandemic was a "completely different" experience.
Speaking to Radio Solent's Dorset Breakfast show, she said: "My partner was able to stay for the duration of labour but, as soon I was transferred to the post-natal ward, he was gone."That was Covid anyway, but St Mary's didn't have any capability for partners to stay. There wasn't room to have spare beds."She described the new facilities as "absolutely amazing", adding: "It's huge, light, airy - there are some amazing views. "It's a big building and every room is private so everyone has their own space."As well as the maternity unit, all emergency gynaecology and early pregnancy services are now based at the hospital.The move is part of a major reorganisation of services by University Hospitals Dorset across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.
You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
New Covid strain symptoms in full including nausea and heartburn as NB.1.8.1 spread deteced
New Covid strain symptoms in full including nausea and heartburn as NB.1.8.1 spread deteced The World Health Organisation has been monitoring the new strain, which is of the Omicron variant, as seven cases have been detected Heartburn is among the symptoms of the new Covid variant detected in the UK (Image: Getty Images ) Medical professionals are on high alert as a new strain of the Coronavirus, known as NB.1.8.1, has been detected in the UK for the first time. The new strain is being closely observed after being listed as a "variant under monitoring" by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its swift increase in cases. Seven people in Northern Ireland have tested positive for this strain, which has shown potential to bypass immunity from past infections or vaccinations. Across the globe, NB.1.8.1 has quadrupled in prevalence among tested cases in the past month. While some symptoms remain consistent with those of previous variants, healthcare experts have identified additional symptoms such as heartburn. They also noted gastrointestinal issues including abdominal pain and bloating. New Covid variant NB.1.8.1 has been detected across the world (Image: undefined via Getty Images ) NB. 1.8.1 has become the predominant strain in regions like Hong Kong and China and has been found in other countries including Australia, the US, and several holiday hotspots such as Egypt, Thailand, and the Maldives, reports the Mirror. Article continues below A full list of symptoms: a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste shortness of breath feeling tired or exhausted an aching body a headache a sore throat a blocked or runny nose loss of appetite diarrhoea feeling sick or being sick Data from WHO indicates a concerning rise in the prevalence of the NB. 1.8.1 strain, jumping from 2.5 per cent to 10.7 per cent of global sequences submitted within a four-week span, leading to increased global vigilance. A spokesperson for WHO stated: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1. Article continues below "In February, circulation of XEC began to decline while that of LP.8.1 increased, with the latter becoming the most detected variant in mid-March. Since mid-April, the circulation of LP.8.1 has been slightly declining as NB.1.8.1 is increasingly being detected." Experts note that NB. 1.8.1 carries multiple mutations that "may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains". But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
New list of Covid symptoms for NB.1.8.1 strain as it spreads in UK
The World Health Organization has designated the NB.1.8.1 strain of Covid a "variant under monitoring" due to its rapid rise Epidemiologists are on high alert after a new Covid strain has emerged in the UK, with "multiple mutations" and new symptoms that Brits should be aware of. The NB. 1.8.1 variant of Covid, now under World Health Organisation's (WHO) surveillance as a "variant under monitoring", is causing alarm due to its rapid spread and fears that it could evade immunity from previous infections or vaccination. Seven cases of the variant have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, while globally the new strain has become four times more prevalent among sequenced Covid infections. While some symptoms mirror those of earlier strains, health professionals have identified novel indicators such as heartburn. They've also noted gastrointestinal issues like abdominal pain and bloating. NB. 1.8.1 has become the predominant strain in regions like Hong Kong and China and has cropped up in Australia, the US, and holiday hotspots including Egypt, Thailand, and the Maldives, reports the Mirror. A full list of symptoms: a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste shortness of breath feeling tired or exhausted an aching body a headache a sore throat a blocked or runny nose loss of appetite diarrhoea feeling sick or being sick WHO data reveals a concerning leap in the strain's prevalence, from 2.5 per cent to 10.7 per cent of global sequences within a month, sparking heightened global vigilance. A WHO representative said: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1." From February onwards, the circulation of XEC started to drop, while LP. 8.1 saw an increase and became the most detected variant by mid-March. However, since mid-April, LP. 8.1 has seen a slight decline as NB.1.8.1 is being detected more often. Experts say that NB.1.8.1 contains multiple mutations that "may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains." But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants.
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Symptoms in full of the new strain of Covid already detected in the UK
Doctors are closely monitoring the NB.1.8.1 strain of Covid, which has been discovered in the UK and can cause heartburn, diarrhea, nausea and other unpleasant symptoms Doctors are carefully monitoring a new strain of the virus which causes Covid - and have put together a comprehensive list of symptoms. There is concern for the NB.1.8.1 strain of Covid, officially designated a "variant under monitoring" by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its rapid rise. Seven people in Northern Ireland have been diagnosed with the strain, which has the potential to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccines. Some symptoms are the same as ones associated with previous strains, however medics have confirmed new signs - like heartburn - have been noted too. Gastrointestinal symptoms can include abdominal pain and bloating, doctors added. NB.1.8.1 already the dominant strain in Hong Kong and China, and has been detected in Australia, the US and across popular holiday destinations including Egypt, Thailand and the Maldives. The full list of symptoms are; a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste shortness of breath feeling tired or exhausted an aching body a headache a sore throat a blocked or runny nose loss of appetite diarrhoea feeling sick or being sick READ MORE: Holidaymakers told to wear masks and get jabs as cases of 'new Covid' soar According to WHO data, the strain has jumped from 2.5% to 10.7% of submitted global sequences in just four weeks, which has prompted growing international concern. A WHO spokesperson said: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1. "In February, circulation of XEC began to decline while that of LP.8.1 increased, with the latter becoming the most detected variant in mid-March. Since mid-April, the circulation of LP.8.1 has been slightly declining as NB.1.8.1 is increasingly being detected." Experts say NB.1.8.1 carries multiple mutations that "may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains". Dr Lara Herrero explained: "It's possible a person infected with NB.1.8.1 may be more likely to pass the virus on to someone else, compared to earlier variants. The evidence so far suggests NB.1.8.1 may spread more easily and may partially sidestep immunity from prior infections or vaccination. These factors could explain its rise in sequencing data. "But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants."
