A midwife sonographer who was instrumental in opening the maternity day assessment unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital has retired.

Janet Halliday started working at Hinchingbrooke in 1988 in the antenatal clinic, but as maternity services adapted over time Janet was given the opportunity to open the unit in March 2000, with support from her manager.

Since then the department has gone from one member of staff to a core of 16 midwives and midwife sonographers who provide early pregnancy scans, growth scans, dating scans, detailed scans and monitoring.

Janet was the first midwife at Hinchingbrooke to be trained as an ultrasonographer and has since trained seven other midwives.

Janet said: “The maternity day assessment unit was our opportunity to build on the care provided for women from early pregnancy onwards. This has resulted in us being able to offer a modern service and standard of care for women during their pregnancy and out of hospital and away from the acute setting of delivery suite.

“I have really enjoyed working and building the department into the place that it is now. I leave my job with the unit and antenatal and new born screening lead with a sense of fulfilment and achievement for all that we have done over the last 18 years, but I am also looking forward to spending some time with my daughters and grandchildren and taking on some part-time courses during my retirement.”

Kay Winter, maternity day assessment unit manager, said: “I have worked with Janet for more than 14 years, during which time she has been instrumental in developing the antenatal skills and knowledge of many midwives both in and out of the scan room, including many of the current team.

“She has always made herself available for advice, she willingly covered colleagues and has been a huge support and a friend to us all. We will all miss her but hope that she enjoys her retirement and her new found free time, including spending quality time with her family and her friends.”