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Visiting hours at two hospital maternity wards have been extended, following feedback from patients and their families.

Ward 10 at University Hospital of North Durham and Ward 61 at Darlington Memorial Hospital will allow daily visits from 09:00 to 22:00 GMT, for one birthing partner and siblings of a newborn baby.

Gergana Nikolova, director of midwifery at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said the facilities hoped to "foster a more inclusive and supportive environment that meets the emotional and practical needs of our women, birthing people and their families".

She added that due to specific infrastructure on both wards, the trust could not provide overnight stays for families.

The trust said the maternity ward visiting times for others are 14:00 to 16:00 and 18:00 until 20:00, with a maximum of three visitors per bed who are over the age of 16 unless they are a sibling of the baby.

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