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’s 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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.

For more information on the consultation please visit our ICS website.