A new scanning service for pregnant women is being brought to the area as part of maternity changes at NHS Dumfries and Galloway, through the Best Start initiative.
Head of Midwifery Karen King said: “Currently, pregnant women are required to travel to Dumfries for scans, which we fully appreciate can be an unwelcome journey – particularly for someone in their condition.
“So we are delighted that we are now going to be able to provide this service and deliver this care much closer to where they live.”
Joanne Porter has been appointed as the new midwife sonographer and she will initially be based in Galloway Community Hospital, but with plans for this service to be integrated with others out of the Women, Children’s and Sexual Health Services Hub which is rapidly taking form.
Starting this week, Joanne will be providing the scanning service in weekly, Wednesday clinics.
Karen said: “These clinics will include all scans, from early dating to detailed growth scans. This will negate the need to go to Dumfries for most pregnancy scans, providing a more complete local service for women in Wigtownshire.
“This will be done in conjunction with twice monthly locally held consultant clinics.”
Joanne added: “I am local to Stranraer having lived most of my life in Stranraer and Glenluce. I have worked as a midwife in Galloway Community Hospital since 1994, and still love my job. I feel that the extended role of midwife sonographer is very special.
“As women currently have to travel to Dumfries to give birth to their babies unless they are having a home birth, this will cut down on most of the travel and bring a really important service to Wigtownshire.”
