Birmingham Women's Hospital

Birmingham Women’s Hospital (BWH) merged with Birmingham Children’s Hospital in February 2017 and the organisation is now known as Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust.  Birmingham Women’s Hospital hosts obstetric, gynaecology (including fertility), clinical genetics and neonatal services. 

Anaesthetic services are contracted from University Hospitals Birmingham via a service level agreement (SLA) and therefore all anaesthetists at BWH are employed by UHB.  Anaesthetic services cover delivery suite (labour ward and elective and emergency theatres), antenatal clinic, gynaecology theatres, the assisted conception unit (ACU), and the pre-assessment clinic.

The obstetric unit is one of the largest in the country, with over 8400 deliveries in 2016.  There is a midwifery-led unit adjacent to but separate from the main delivery suite.  The caesarean section rate is just below 30% and the epidural rate for labour analgesia is around 23%.  The unit is covered by 12 consultant anaesthetists, many of whom also work in the other areas of the hospital.  Trainee anaesthetists of all grades are welcomed and can complete basic, intermediate, higher and advanced obstetric anaesthesia modules.  Working in the obstetric unit is busy but interesting and varied. There is ample opportunity to gain experience in management of complications of pregnancy and complex obstetric-medical cases.  The majority of these are managed by joint obstetric and physician antenatal clinics and trainees are encouraged to attend these and all of the other obstetric activities on delivery suite.

Whilst at UHB or BWH trainees may spend time in gynaecology theatres.  There are two theatres running daily elective lists and there is opportunity to learn about all gynaecologist subspecialties including fertility, uro-gynaecology, cancer surgery and laparoscopic surgery. There is a recently established consultant-led pre-assessment service that trainees are welcome to attend as part of a pre-assessment or peri-operative medicine module.

Birmingham Women's Hospital
Mindelsohn Way
Birmingham
B15 2TG

Telephone (Main): 0121 472 1377

Hospital Website