A newly refurbished and expanded Maternity Assessment Centre (MAC) at Bradford Royal Infirmary is now welcoming its first patients.

The centre is a triage service - Maternity’s equivalent to the hospital’s Emergency Department - for anyone who is pregnant from 16 weeks plus.

The upgraded facility features a four-bedded bay for assessment, two single-bed bays, a triage side room, and another side room with en-suite facilities.

There are plans to add two more single-bed bays in 2025.

The unit is staffed by midwives and healthcare assistants, supported by a team of obstetricians.

The centre operates 24/7 and handles more than 6,000 calls and 1,300 patients each month.

The refurbishment also includes a new reception and waiting area.

A four-bedded bay for assessment and two single-bed bays are among the new additions to the centreA four-bedded bay for assessment and two single-bed bays are among the new additions to the centre (Image: Supplied)

Construction company Morgan Sindall carried out the refurbishment, stripping the space back to a bare shell before rebuilding it from scratch.

Alison Powell, Outstanding Maternity Services (OMS) Programme Midwifery Lead, said: "We have worked in partnership with service users, staff, and stakeholders to design our new MAC as part of the OMS Building Fit for the Future workstream.

"I am delighted that we have achieved our ambition to significantly improve the care and work environment for service users and staff."

Nicole Wood, Maternity Assessment Centre and Antenatal Day Unit Manager, said: "Our newly re-designed MAC will better serve women and babies from across Bradford.

"It is miles ahead of our last unit because it is so bright, airy, and woman-centred.

"The waiting room is large, and we don’t have to share it with other maternity clinics - basically the new MAC is everything that we wanted and more.

"It also feels much calmer for our patients."

Nasrin Ali, Maternity and Neonatal Partnership Lead for Bradford, said: "The new MAC is ‘wicked’ - so beautiful, light, and airy.

"The layout provides a seamless journey through assessment and care.

"It provides privacy and dignity in a calm and relaxed environment for women and families."

The new MAC is directly opposite the labour ward entrance and close to the birth centre and obstetric operating theatres.

Other improvement works are also under way at the Maternity Unit and expected to be completed in late 2025.