Maternity units in Stafford and Lichfield could close permanently

The midwife-led maternity units at Stafford's County Hospital and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital in Lichfield were temporarily closed in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic, when staff were transferred to the larger units at Royal Stoke University Hospital and Queen's Hospital in Burton-upon-Trent.

Now Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board, the body responsible for the running of health services across the county, is considering whether the closure should be made permanent, and has launched a consultation process.

For Lichfield, this is also being carried out alongside the Derbyshire board, which leads the Samuel Johnson Community Hospital.

Heather Johnstone, chief nursing officer for the Staffordshire board and a former midwife, said: “I know that these units offer a unique birthing option suited to women with low-risk pregnancies. However, because they operate independently, they don’t have immediate access to consultant-led medical support such as anaesthetics.

“Also, in the year before their closure fewer than three in 100 of the babies in our area were born there.

“We also know that high-risk pregnancies are becoming ever more common, so we expect that in future even fewer women would choose to give birth in a smaller hospital without specialist support at close hand.”

Mrs Johnstone said closing the units would also help the region better manage, following a shortage of midwives which has been seen across the country, and it aligns with the NHS three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services.

She added: “Not re-opening the birthing services at these units would mean our midwives are where they're needed most, making sure we continue to have safe and sustainable staffing in our busiest maternity hospitals in Stoke-on-Trent and Burton.

“As well as making the best use of our midwives’ time, this will help keep their skills sharp, as they will have a more varied caseload and assist with many more births.

“Women who would like the choice of a midwife-led birth can be reassured that this option would still be available to them at both the Royal Stoke and Burton hospitals. I’m glad to say that home birthing services have also been fully restored across our area."

Mrs Johnstone said the units would continue to offer antenatal and postnatal appointments.

The consultation runs until August 3, and people are invited to share their views on staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk/midwife-led-birthing-units/