Birthing services at midwife-led units

Between 12 May and 3 August 2025, NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) carried out a 12-week public consultation on midwife-led birthing services at County Hospital, Stafford, and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Lichfield. The consultation set out a proposal to make permanent the temporary closures made in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Further focused engagement following consultation on birthing services

While birthing services have remained closed, antenatal and postnatal care has continued at both sites, with the exception that Glucose Tolerance Testing (GTT) and Anti-D injections have not been offered at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital since the pandemic.

We received more than 1,400 responses to the consultation in 2025. Based on the feedback gathered, the ICB will undertake a further four weeks of engagement in February 2026 to seek additional views from the public and stakeholders on antenatal care. In particular, we would like to understand any potential impact of the current arrangements for GTT and Anti-D injections and identify necessary mitigations.

How to share your views

• Complete our online survey: nhs.welcomesyourfeedback.net/s/4j2u1b. It is open from Monday 2 February until midnight on Monday 2 March.
• We will be talking to patients at antenatal and postnatal clinics at Queen’s Hospital Burton, Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital, and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital – as well as attending parent and toddler groups (and other similar groups) during February.
• We are willing to visit other groups to gather opinions. If you would like to invite us to your group, please email the ICB communications team: ssotics.comms@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk.
• Please check back here for updates about engagement activities.

The findings from this additional engagement will be incorporated into an overall Report of Findings, which will go through ICB governance processes and inform the development of a Decision-Making Business Case.

What are glucose tolerance tests (GTTs) and anti-D injections?

GTT is a blood test used to diagnose gestational diabetes, which can occur during pregnancy. Anti-D immunoglobin is given to women whose blood type is RhD negative to prevent an immune response when the baby’s blood type is RhD positive.

How can I find out more about the 2025 consultation?

You can read more about the 2025 consultation lower down this page, including links to documents you can download and other information pages on this website.

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2025 consultation: 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.