EXPECTANT mothers can help their newborns greet the world in a little more comfort thanks to a major refurbishment at a Stoke Mandeville maternity ward.

The revamp has seen each of the six-bedded bays within the ward upgraded with an ensuite bathroom and toilet, which has better access for wheelchair users.

The improvements have been made to the Rothschild maternity ward, located in the hospital’s Claydon Wing.

The existing bathroom, toilets and nurses’ station have also been upgraded and new flooring laid throughout the area.

Audrey Warren, head of midwifery, said: "We are delighted with the changes and transformation of the ward. We now have facilities that can be easily accessed by all patients to ensure they have the best possible experience during their stay on our ward, which is what we as a team constantly strive for. In addition, this work compliments our other state-of-the-art labour and neonatal facilities developed over the past few years on this site."

The unit was given £996k from central government in 2013 to improve the facilities for pregnant women, new mums and their families. The midwifery team decided to focus on improving the environment for women on the ante-natal and post-natal ward.

Rothschild ward provides care for mums-to-be who require additional monitoring during pregnancy and postnatal care to mums and their babies. The ward is located in the Claydon Wing at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

The revamp comes after Doctor led maternity services controversially transferred to Stoke Mandeville in 2009, leaving a midwife-led maternity unit still operating at Wycombe Hospital.