Birthing services at midwife-led units

Thank you for visiting our information page about our 12-week public consultation on birthing services at County Hospital, Stafford, and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Lichfield, which ran from 12 May to 3 August 2025.

We wanted to hear from as many people as possible and particularly welcomed views from people planning a pregnancy or currently pregnant, who recently become parents, or who had used maternity services in the last few years. Thank you for sharing your views with us.

The background

The consultation proposal outlines the permanent closure of the birthing services at two freestanding midwife-led birthing units (FMBUs). These are at County Hospital, Stafford, and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Lichfield.

The birthing services have been temporarily closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The units remained open for antenatal and postnatal care and these services would continue to be offered as part of the consultation proposal.

To read more about the FMBUs and the proposal, download the consultation document (further down this page) or visit these other pages:

• Maternity Transformation – Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, Integrated Care Board
• Birthing services available locally – Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, Integrated Care Board
• Birthing services consultation – What is the proposal?
• Birthing services proposal – Advantages & disadvantages

How we gathered views and how your feedback will be used

There was a great response to our survey, which was completed by more than 1,400 people, including 61 responses received to the easy read version.

We held four public meetings, two in Lichfield and two online. Two meetings were made available in Stafford, but due to low uptake from the public, those who did wish to attend were able to join online events instead.

As well as these formal meetings, we also went out to community groups such as parent and toddler sessions, postnatal support groups and well-baby clinics to chat to people who were there on the day to hear views and share information.

We have gathered all the responses, views and comments from the survey, meetings, community group visits and correspondence. This feedback will be independently analysed, and a report of findings will be written. It will help to inform the decision about the proposal, which Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB is legally responsible for making. We will hold a meeting in public about this – please check back here for the date.

Want to find out more about our birthing services consultation?

You can find out more information from our consultation page.

You can also download these documents:

• Consultation document (24 pages plus appendix)
• Easy read consultation document (24 pages – has larger text and images)
• Pre-Consultation Business Case (142 pages plus appendices. This is the formal document presented to NHS England about the proposal, why it is needed and how it has been developed.)
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Keep in touch

Email: ssotics.comms@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk

Online meetings took place on:

• Monday 30 June, 12-2pm – Registration now closed.
• Wednesday 2 July, 6-8pm – Registration now closed.

Face-to-face meetings took place on:

• Wednesday 25 June, 6-8pm – Lichfield, Samuel Johnson Community Hospital Seminar Room, Lichfield, WS13 6EF, or The Guildhall, Lichfield, WS13 6LU – Registration now closed.
• Monday 7 July, 12-2pm – The Guildhall, Lichfield, WS13 6LU – Registration now closed.