I had my twins there at the end of 2006 and I had a really good experience, although I think this was influenced by the fact that a twin pregnancy gets a lot more care and attention (higher risk and mine was very complicated) and, at the end, I moved over to private care/the private ward as I spent the last month in hospital on bedrest and was thoroughly sick of the place by the end. However, I did have experience of both the labour ward and the ante natal ward (both in a four-bed ward and a private room) so I did get to see the NHS side of things closehand and long term.
The labour ward was excellent (sparkling clean, lots of up to date equipment and lots of midwives and doctors/consultants floating about) and I spent several long nights there during the course of my pregnancy. I might have got more attention due to the fact that I was a complicated multiple pregnancy but I still think the staffing levels were good all round - there always seemed to be lots of people about. As for the antenatal ward (and the post natal ward - I walked through it day after day when I was stretching my legs) it was clean, the food was okay (fresh fruit on offer at least) and the loos and bathrooms were cleaned on a regular basis. There were private, side rooms (I think about 8 in total) on the ante natal ward but these were allocated on a first-come-first-served basis and tended to be given to multiple births and/or caesareans. If one wasn't available you got a bed on a four-bed ward. These are pretty spacious and not too bad and although they always seemed pretty noisy on the post-natal side with newborns crying, etc. I don't think it's any different in any other hospital.
I think wherever you go you will get staffing issues. There simply aren't enough midwives and whilst this doesn't impact so much during labour where they are vital, it can be problematic post-natally when you need equal levels of support, just of a different kind. Even on the private ward I found I had to nag for two days to get breastfeeding support (my babies were tube fed and I had no idea how to express my colustrum), which was a bit rich given that the place was plastered in 'Breast is Best' posters.
My advice would be to be vocal. Ask for support and use your buzzer and your voice. YOu'll probably have to ask a few times before you get it and they may label you a pest, but if you get the support you need then the end result is all that matters. I figured that the midwives would forget about me as soon as I was out of the door so I had no qualms about pushing for pain relief or support. You shouldn't have to do it but the reality is that (wrongly) the NHS is overstretched and understaffed and that can be quite hardgoing for a new mother on a busy antenatal ward.
On balance I really recommend it. The level of care is excellent and the place is very clean, both of which are a good starting point. More midwife support is needed, but the same is true of every hospital, and I gave birth at a particularly busy time (four sets of twins alone on the day my babies were born). You may turn up when it's quieter and find the postnatal ward is much less stretched.
I hope so. Go in feeling strong and knowing what you want (breast feeding support, etc.) and prepare to push for it. You shouldn't have to, but it does at least mean that you'll get the support you need.
Hope this helps and good luck.
Kx