THE maternity unit at Russells Hall Hospital has been boosted with 12 new midwifery jobs announced.

The number of women choosing to give birth at Dudley's maternity unit has increased with 600 more births since 2003 - an increase of more than 15 per cent.

Hospital chiefs predict the unit will deliver 4,200 babies in 2007/08.

The maternity unit opened in January 2005.

Paul Farenden, chief executive, said: "We have a commitment to recruiting high quality staff in order to maintain our high standards of care, and this latest announcement will help us to maintain those standards, whilst caring for an increasing number of women who choose to have their baby at Russells Hall Hospital."