Birthing services at midwife-led units

NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board (ICB) would like to thank everyone, including members of the public, stakeholders and partner organisations, for taking the time to share feedback and participate in the public consultation on midwife-led birthing services at County Hospital, Stafford, and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, Lichfield.

Following publication of the Report of Findings in June 2026, a decision-making business case and proposal went to the ICB Boards in Common in September 2026. You can find the board paper (p149), consultation overview, formal public consultation plan, Quality impact assessments from 2024 and 2026, and Equality, Health Inequality Impact and Risk Assessments from 2024 and 2026. The decision taken was to make permanent the temporary closure of birthing services at County Hospital and Samuel Johnson Community Hospital and retain GTT and Anti-D immunoglobulin clinics at Queen’s Hospital, Burton. The pre-consultation business case was shared in ICB board papers 20 March 2025 (p79 onward), with appendices.

Background

The consultation considered a proposal to make permanent the temporary closure of the freestanding midwife-led birthing units introduced in March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The formal public consultation took place between 12 May 2025 and 3 August 2025, during which more than 1,400 responses were received from members of the public, stakeholders and partner organisations.

While birthing services have remained closed, antenatal and postnatal care has continued at both sites. Since the pandemic, Glucose Tolerance Testing (GTT) and Anti-D services have not been provided at Samuel Johnson Community Hospital, with these services delivered from alternative locations. Additional targeted engagement was undertaken throughout February 2026 to better understand the impact of these arrangements and identify any potential mitigations.

The Report of Findings summarised feedback received through both the public consultation and further engagement activity. It supported development of a Decision-Making Business Case, which went through the ICB’s governance processes, prior to being considered by the ICB Board in September 2026.

All feedback and evidence gathered through the consultation and engagement process was fully considered before a final decision-making business case and proposal was developed.

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

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.