We were delighted to read such lovely praise for the care the midwifery staff have given Kat MacMillan (Letters, August 14). We always appreciate such letters and do try to maintain those high standards.

Our role is to help families have a safe and positive birth, both in hospital and at home.

You may be interested to know we recently gained an achievement award from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity Home Birth. This recognised that all women should have good maternity care, including the choice of a safe home birth.

Midwives and doctors are happy to advise and support women by discussing the options to ensure they are aware of the safety issues and to help them make an informed choice about where to have their baby.

After these discussions, home birth will suit some women. However, for a variety of different reasons, such as an unusual medical history, it may not be the best option for all women.

-Debi Fillery, Lead Midwife, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust