Since the shocking death of an unborn baby during a car dash between two County Durham hospitals, anxious women have been ringing Bishop Auckland General's swtichboard seeking reassurance. Health Correspondent Barry Nelson found out answers to some of their questions.

Q Why are some women worried about giving birth at Bishop Auckland's maternity unit?

A Following publicity about the death of Olivia Harrison there are concerns over whether the unit is safe. From May 8, the unit has been run by midwives instead of consultant obstetricians. This is because of a reorganisation which means that women assessed as "low-risk" mothers are booked to have their babies at Bishop Auckland, while "high-risk" mothers from the Bishop Auckland area are booked to give birth at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Q Why have all the specialist maternity doctors moved to Darlington?

A Because the County Durham trust is relatively small, there are not enough babies born to justify two fully-staffed consultant-led maternity units. Medical training is now concentrated at Darlington's maternity unit, which satisfies strict training requirements laid down by the royal colleges. The transfer of specialist obstetric doctors from Bishop Auckland to Darlington also allows the trust to meet tough new rules on maximum working hours and have enough doctors to provide 24-hour cover.

Q What would happen if things had stayed the same?

A Robert Aitken, the trust's medical director, has said that both maternity units could close. The new arrangement preserves one low-tech and one high-tech maternity unit in South Durham.

Q What are the chances of something going wrong during a "low-risk" labour and birth at Bishop Auckland?

A Debbie Bunford, head of midwifery at the County Durham trust, says: "Unforeseen problems are very, very rare in low-risk women. They occur more frequently in higher-risk women. If something does go wrong we can usually tell well in advance. Things tend to build very gradually in obstetrics."

Q Can the midwives cope if there is a serious problem?

A Lesley Heelbeck, senior midwife at Bishop Auckland, says: "Our midwives have chosen to work in a unit like this, because they like the extra responsibility. This is the type of care they are skilled to give, they are experts in normal childbirth. If there is a problem they are all trained to advanced life support in obstetrics standard. Two of our midwives are instructors in this field."

Q We know that the Special Care Baby Unit has been transferred from Bishop Auckland to Darlington as part of the changes. Does the unit still have the life-saving equipment it needs if there is an emergency?

A The unit has a range of life support systems for babies, including a special cot for resuscitating new-borns, a baby-sized ventilator and a roomy incubator for transferring sick babies in comfort.

Q Are there any doctors at all in the hospital who can assist the midwives?

A Doctors from the adjacent paediatric department can help midwives assess sick babies if necessary. A consultant paediatrician is available during the day and can be called out at night in emergencies.

Q What happens if the mother or the baby need specialist help which is not available at Bishop Auckland?

A Arrangements have been made with the North East Ambulance Service to make emergency transfers to Darlington Memorial Hospital or James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough.

Q What is the hospital doing to restore confidence?

A The hospital contacted women due to have their babies at Bishop Auckland to discuss any worries they may have. Midwives will check the records of every woman to ensure they are genuinely low risk. Women who would like to inspect the facilities can ring (01388) 455108 for an appointment.