Information
Obstetric triage and assessment at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week service for pregnant people requiring URGENT unscheduled care. A similar service operates within the labour ward at St John’s Hospital.
Who can refer:
- Patients can self-refer (preferred option)
- GP
- Midwives
- Other medical specialties
Who to refer:
- Any pregnant patient >12 weeks gestation with an urgent problem relating to their pregnancy which requires same-day assessment e.g. vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, reduced fetal movement, suspicion of labour, hypertension, signs of preeclampsia.
- Any pregnant patient<12 weeks gestation with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy requiring hospital care.
- Postnatal patients up to 6 weeks following birth, with an urgent problem relating to their recent pregnancy e.g. heavy vaginal bleeding, suspected sepsis.
Who not to refer:
Patients who are >6 weeks postnatal or not pregnant.
Patients experiencing ongoing complications following birth should be referred to gynaecology.
Patients with a non-urgent problem (i.e. not requiring same-day assessment)
How to refer:
For emergencies and urgent care, patients can come without calling.
However, if possible, the patient should phone for advice first. There is a midwife who is available 24/7:
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh 0131 242 2657
St John’s Hospital 01506 524125
A patient should not delay attending with an urgent problem because they are unable to get through on the phone.
For telephone advice, bleep the triage consultant obstetrician on 1621 (0900-1700h) or the obstetric registrar on 1616 (24h).
For non-urgent problems, refer to antenatal clinic or speak to the patient’s community midwife about onward referral.
NHS Lothian hyperemesis guideline
Tommy’s RFM leaflet
https://www.tommys.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/Feeling%20your%20baby%20move%20ENGLISH.pdf
Stomach (abdominal) pain or cramps in pregnancy | Tommy’s (tommys.org)
Tommy’s symptom checker
https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/symptom-checker
