Staffordshire mothers now giving birth at Wolverhampton's New Cross

Bosses said the move, which came as a result of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust being dissolved, had gone to plan.

The trust which runs New Cross has expanded its maternity service to cope with demand.

Its community at-home service now takes in South Staffordshire to cater for expectant others nearer Stafford.

Perton, Cannock, Codsall, Wombourne, Seisdon, Rugeley and Penkridge are now covered by New Cross staff for home and antenatal visits.

Royal Stoke University Hospital has taken over other areas, with former Mid Staffs services split between there and New Cross.

County Hospital will now be midwife-led, with consultant-led services for medium to high-risk births moving to the two other hospitals.

Debra Hickman, head of midwifery services at New Cross Hospital, said: "We welcome those women from south Staffordshire who choose to have their babies at New Cross Hospital.

"There are in-patient facilities for all women on our maternity ward and we assure them that they will have good access to back-up community provision."

Obstetric and antenatal clinics are being provided at Cannock Chase Hospital, which the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust recently took over.

Ms Hickman added: "We are looking to expand the maternity services at Cannock Chase in the future."

In recent years the New Cross Hospital's maternity unit has won awards for its water birth service, teaching innovation and hypnobirthing service.

Its midwifery-led unit was shortlisted for the Nursing Times Team of the Year award in 2014.

Following a safety inspection in 2013 the Maternity Service received a score of 46 out of 50, covering areas such as complex births, caesarean section, examination of the newborn baby, resuscitation, post-natal care and care of labour in women.

The first youngster to be born at New Cross Hospital under the new arrangements was baby boy Klayton Nicholls.

Mum Michelle Nicholls, from Cannock, gave birth at 1.43pm on January 18.