n parallel with the opening of the birth centre, there were some changes at the hospital between phases 1 and 2. As Table 3 shows, the proportions of women rating the hospital care as very good fell, although the proportions rating it good increased along with the proportions rating it as just OK. There was also a significant decrease in the proportions of women reporting that staff were kind and understanding, as Table 4 shows, along with a decrease in the proportions of women cared for by a midwife they had already met but there was no change in the proportion who had the same midwife with them all the time in labour. There was no change in the proportion of women who had a birth plan but the proportion who found it of no use decreased.