Countess Of Chester Hospital

05/05/2026

As today marks International Day of the Midwife - we have been celebrating the incredible contribution midwives make across the NHS.

To mark the occasion, we were delighted to welcome Jenny Brown, regional representative for the Royal College of Midwives, to our Women and Children’s Building.

Jenny spoke about how meaningful the day is, describing it as a celebration of skill, knowledge and compassion. She offered a heartfelt thank you to midwives for their expertise, kindness and resilience, and also shared a poem that was a beautiful reminder of the strength of women.

It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic work of our midwives, made even more special by the attendance of former colleagues who had returned to join the celebrations after retiring, some from decades of service.

Celebrations took place throughout the day, with cake and refreshments, positive speeches, and even a vibrant Jamaican dance performed by staff members Bobby‑Joe and Sasheena.

What a fitting and joyful way to recognise and celebrate everything our midwives do - past and present.

05/05/2026

💗International Day of the Midwife 💕

Today is International Day of the Midwife, and this year’s theme - One Million More Midwives - highlights just how vital midwives are to families, communities and health systems across the world.

To mark the day, we invited some of our midwives to share what they love most about their profession. Their reflections are honest, moving and a powerful reminder of the difference midwives make every single day.

We’re also celebrating throughout the day with cultural dancing, poetry, shared refreshments and goodie bags for midwives on duty - just small tokens of thanks that recognise the huge impact they have.

Do you have a midwife at our hospital who made a difference to you or your family? We’d love to hear your story - please feel free to share your thanks and memories in the comments below.

Thank you to all our midwives for the long hours, the reassurance, the advocacy, the strength and the kindness you bring to every birth and every family.

We celebrate you today - and always. 🥰

01/05/2026

Despite scorching temperatures, dozens of our charity ducks took the plunge for Chester’s 12th annual Duck Race last week- and they certainly didn’t disappoint!

Thanks to the amazing support of our community, the event raised over £25,000 for The Countess Charity 's Extra Mile Appeal, helping us move closer to providing an additional ultrasound scanner here at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

When strong winds tried to send the ducks off course, paddleboarders and the fantastic Queen’s Park Chester Rowing Club were on hand to steer them safely towards the finish line. 💪🌊

We were also delighted to welcome the Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Sherin Akhtar, who joined our Trust chaplain Holly Torr to judge our brilliantly creative Best Dressed Duck and Best Look‑a‑Likey Duck competitions.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, donated, supported, and cheered from the riverbank! 👏👏

30/04/2026

With the bank holiday approaching, make sure you order your repeat prescription in good time to avoid any delays in getting your medicines.

GP practices and pharmacies may have different opening hours, so it’s best to plan ahead and not leave it until the last minute.

Find out how to order your repeat prescription here, including via the NHS App: https://nhs.uk/nhs-services/prescriptions/how-to-order-a-repeat-prescription/

28/04/2026

Did you see Daddy Pig running the London Marathon at the weekend? 🐷

He was raising money for the National Deaf Children’s Society - the same charity behind the recent Peppa Pig storyline where George wears a hearing aid.

Some of our families here at the Countess have told us just how much that episode has meant to their children so it's wonderful to see this kind of recognition 🥰

25/04/2026

Good luck to everyone taking part in the Chester Duck Race for The Countess Charity today! 🦆

Today is the day!

And the sun is shining ☀️

See you all down by the river from 12noon 🦆

23/04/2026

Come along to the Grosvenor Garden Centre tomorrow (Friday 24th April) between 10am and 1pm, where our Mobile Research Bus will be visiting for a Falls Prevention Roadshow. 🚌

Staff will be on hand to share straightforward, practical advice on bone health, medication safety, and staying steady on your feet, with the chance to ask questions if you want to.

The bus has been well received so far, with people often dropping by for a quick chat and finding the information helpful and reassuring.

Some also discover they may benefit from extra support, such as a bone density scan or a medication review.

Thanks to everyone involved in making these visits happen. We’re already seeing the difference they make and look forward to welcoming more people along!

21/04/2026

We’re proud to reveal the first official artwork to be installed in our new Women and Children’s Building - a beautiful, collaborative display that has been created by local artists from Cheshire Art Classes - ranging from the ages of 16-82! 🎨

It features 43 miniature oil paintings where each artist worked to the same 6×6 inch format, choosing their own subject, and the result is a vibrant mix of images, ranging from birds, flowers - and even shoes!

This week, some of the artists came to see their work which is now on display in the building's atrium, and they hope it will bring moments of calm, inspiration and enjoyment to patients, families and staff for many years to come.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to every artist involved for sharing their creativity and helping to make our new building feel so welcoming and uplifting.

If you’re visiting the hospital, why not take a moment to stop by and have a look!

Class leader Dan Bethell explains more about working on the project in this video 🎥👇

16/04/2026

Being heard is not only a right but an important part of improving patient care.

Our Call 4 Concern service is here for immediate worries about a patient who is currently in our care.

If you are worried about signs of deterioration — in yourself or a loved one — and feel something isn’t being picked up, Call 4 Concern allows you to ask for a clinical review at that moment.

You can find out more here: https://www.coch.nhs.uk/patients-visitors-and-public/call-4-concern.aspx

A note about comments:

We know posts about speaking up can sometimes prompt people to share difficult past experiences of care. That’s completely understandable.

However, this post is specifically about how to raise urgent clinical concerns in-the-moment through Call 4 Concern, so we’ll be switching comments off to keep things focused.

If you have concerns about a past episode of care or non-urgent matters and would like to talk to someone, please contact our PALS team, who handle complaints, feedback and support after care has taken place:
📞 01244 366066
📧 cochpals@nhs.net

They can listen, support you and ensure your experience is reviewed properly.

15/04/2026

What a wonderful story 🥰

14/04/2026

💗 Supporting new mums through cancer treatment 💗

This spring, we’re launching a new project that will ensure mums in Chester who need to pause breastfeeding during cancer treatment can still give their babies safe, donated human milk.

When chemotherapy or radiotherapy means breastfeeding has to stop suddenly, the Cherish project will offer families comfort, reassurance and a way to continue giving their baby the benefits of human milk at a time that can feel overwhelming.

Supported by The Milk Bank at Chester, as well as the South Central and West Child Health Information Service and charity Mummy’s Star, the Cherish project is about ‘compassion, dignity and making sure no family feels forgotten’.

Pictured here: Our wonderful Milk Bank team who have been working hard on this brilliant project.

13/04/2026

Resident doctors’ industrial action has now ended.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Our services remain very busy, particularly A&E, so please help us by choosing the right NHS service for your needs.