Emergency Gynaecology Unit (EGU)

Relocation of the Emergency Gynaecology Unit at Saint Mary’s Hospital

As we work towards returning to activity safely and securely, we have been required to make changes to the location of our Gynaecology services across Saint Mary’s Hospital at our Oxford Road and Wythenshawe Hospital sites.

As of Monday 12^th October, 2020 the Emergency Gynaecology Unit will be relocated from Saint Mary’s Hospital on Oxford Road to F16 at Wythenshawe Hospital, merging with the Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit where all emergency assessments and surgery will take place.

If you need urgent gynaecology care and treatment, please ensure you visit Wythenshawe Hospital from Monday 12th October, 2020.

We have made these difficult decisions to ensure we are minimising the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in order to protect the safety of our service users and our staff. We thank you for your co-operation and understanding at this time.

If you need to contact the Emergency Gynaecology Unit, Ward F16 at Wythenshawe Hospital, please call 0161 291 2561.

For any other concerns please contact MFT’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 0161 276 8686 or pals@mft.nhs.uk

Changes to accessing the service

In light of the most recent government advice, to ensure that people remain home so as to minimise the risk of catching and/or transmitting the Coronavirus, and in order to protect the health and well-being of our patients and staff, we need to ensure that women only attend hospital when absolutely necessary. Women MUST be advised to telephone the department on 0161 291 2561 to discuss their symptoms and concerns with one of our Specialist Nurses, who will decide the best course of action with you. Should the woman require a face to face consultation, she will need to attend EGU on ward F16 at Wythenshawe Hospital.

You can also attend if you have severe vomiting in pregnancy. If you are unsure whether you fit our admission criteria, please feel free to contact us for advice over the phone.

Why am I being asked to telephone the unit before attending?

We are encouraging all women to call the Emergency gynaecology unit if you have any early pregnancy related issues so that a trained emergency gynaecology nurse can call you back and advise the best management going forward. Women with a gynaecological emergency will be asked to attend in person to EGU while other may be advised to monitor their symptoms at home.

What will happen when I arrive in the unit?

If you are over 7 weeks pregnant, have not yet had a scan performed in your pregnancy and you are experiencing pain or bleeding, we will try to arrange an urgent scan for you that same day, although this may not always be possible.

If you attend over the weekend or in the evening, your scan will be arranged for the next available appointment, which may be 2-3 days later.

If you are under 7 weeks pregnant it is unlikely that you will receive a scan until your blood pregnancy hormone levels have been established.

If it is necessary for you to have a scan and you are less than 10 weeks pregnant, the scan should be performed vaginally in order to gain the most information.

If you have already had a scan which has shown a viable pregnancy and you experience further pain or bleeding you will be assessed by a nurse or doctor prior to having another scan. If a further scan is indicated this may be arranged for a later date (ie 7-14 days) in order to allow time for the pregnancy to progress.

If you have already had a scan performed in your pregnancy and you are more than 12 weeks pregnant, we will try to listen to your baby’s heartbeat using a machine. If for some reason the heartbeat cannot be heard, a scan will be arranged for the next available appointment.

What else do I need to know?

We are classified as an Accident and Emergency (A&E) service. Patients are seen in order of clinical priorty, which means that you may be in the department for longer than anticipated.

If you have been discharged from our care or are awaiting further appointments but your symptoms return in the interim, please contact us by telephone for further advice on 0161 291 2561.

Coping with problems in early pregnancy can be difficult unfortunately due to COVID 19 restrictions we are limited to the number of people who can be allowed into the department

If you are not pregnant but have abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding, you can attend this unit only if your General Practitioner (GP) has assessed you and has discussed your case with the consultant on-call. If you have not been assessed by your GP and you feel your case is an emergency, you should attend your local Accident and Emergency Department.

Follow up appointments

In some cases you may be asked to return for repeat blood tests or scans. You will be given an appointment time for this.

Please note that whilst we make every effort to see you at the appointed time, it is not always possible if there are unwell or upset patients needing to be seen urgently.

Our staff

The EGU is a consultant-led service and all women presenting to EGU are under a named consultant.

Although the majority of patients are assessed and managed by our nurses, who have been specially trained to care for women with early pregnancy problems, consultant and medical support is available in the unit when required.

Where will I be seen?

Emergency Gynaecology Unit, Ward F16 at Wythenshawe Hospital.

Contact details:

(0161) 291 2561