A visit by the Health Minister to the Community Maternity Hub at Ards Hospital marked the start of the celebrations to honour International Day of the Midwife on the 5 May 2026.
Mike Nesbitt, MLA was delighted to meet the Midwives there and recognise the vital role they play in supporting women and families.
During the visit, the Minister had the opportunity to talk to Midwives about the wide range of services they deliver through the Community Maternity Hub, which provides antenatal, intranatal and postnatal care for women across the local area.
The Hub supports women through their pregnancy journey with clinics in Holywood, Ards, East Belfast and Bangor, offering care primarily for those with low-risk pregnancies, while also supporting higher-risk women at various stages of their pregnancy. Services include booking scans, glucose tolerance testing and delivering care as close to home as possible.
Midwives also provide home birth services and carry out postnatal home visits, ensuring continuity of care for mothers and babies. In addition, the Team runs a breastfeeding support group in partnership with Health Visiting colleagues, providing crucial ongoing support to families in the community.
The Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, said, “This was really energising for me because we are trying to shift left into the neighbourhood model. I am very conscious that there are groups who are already delivering and have been delivering at the neighbourhood level for a long time, including the midwives here at the Community Hub.
“It was really informative to meet the staff and to hear the issues that they have, what they do, how they help young mothers and also to show support, because sometimes you are walking into people’s homes and you do not know them, or their circumstances, so it can be really stressful as well as a very joyous occupation.
“It is essential that we recognise and celebrate our midwives. We know that the first thousand days are crucial to every child’s development. The Midwife plays a vital role in those earliest days. Continuity of midwifery care is important, it allows the mum to get to know the midwife and develop a trusted relationship. Trust is so important because being pregnant, particularly for the first time, can be a very anxious time. It can be a period of great uncertainty and challenge for mums, so having a trusted midwife there for them is so important.”
South Eastern Trust Chairman, Jonathan Patton added, “It was great to welcome the Minister to the Community Maternity Hub at Ards Hospital ahead of International Day of the Midwife.
“This visit provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the exceptional work of our Community Midwives and to hear directly about the important role they play in delivering high-quality care to women and families across the South Eastern Trust.”
South Eastern Trust, Lead Midwife, Claire McGuigan, commented, “We are very proud of the service we provide here in Ards Hospital. It was important for the Minister to see first-hand the quality of care available and the positive experience we offer to women throughout their pregnancy journey.
“Women can receive the majority of their care within a familiar, supportive environment, seeing the same Midwives throughout, which helps to build trust and confidence. We also continue that support after birth through home visits and our breastfeeding support group.
“A lot of work has gone into creating a welcoming and safe environment for families and we are proud to showcase the difference our Team makes every day.”