Stafford's County Hospital: Fresh hope on return of consultant-led maternity services

The maternity unit at County Hospital has been midwife-led since January 2015 when consultant-led services, for medium to high-risk births, were transferred to New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, and the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

That decision followed the dissolution of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust and was met with huge opposition from campaigners who warned it was a 'disaster waiting to happen'.

NHS England announced yesterday that a review into reversing the transfer of services away from Stafford would now take place, two years after a request to do so by the Secretary of State for Health.

Support Stafford Hospital campaigner Karen Howell said: "This review is something we welcome, but is long overdue. As we were pointing out two years ago, there is going to be a huge increase in the population around Stafford and especially an increase in those who have the potential to have children.

"Since the transfer of services there have been stories of babies born on the roadside. What we have got currently is not a safe maternity service. Now we have a review we have to engage with it. I hope this is not just a tick-box exercise for them and there is real consultation."

The Independent Review Panel is sponsored by NHS England and consists of a lay member and independent experts from across the region.

Dr David Levy, medical director for NHS England in the Midlands, said: "I'm pleased to be able to announce the launch of this important review in Stafford and to have appointed panel members who bring senior level expertise, independence and impartiality to this work.

"Involving local people and hearing their views will be an important part of the overall evidence in the panel's final recommendations which will put patient safety and quality of care first."

A 'listening' event will take place in September, before which the panel is inviting comments via email to england.northmidlands-matreview@nhs.net