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Council leader ready for baby unit challenge
27/12/2006
BURY'S council leader is hoping a meeting with a top health boss will help reverse the decision over Fairfield's maternity unit.
Councillor Wayne Campbell, the council's two opposition leaders and both Bury MPs Ivan Lewis and David Chaytor will meet with Mike Farrar, chief executive of NHS North West, formerly the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority, on January 3.
He hopes they will be able to put a strong case forward for reversing the controversial decision to close maternity facilities at Fairfield which was made by the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts.
Cllr Campbell said: "We want to put the case forward because we believe they got it wrong over Fairfield.
"The decision would mean they are taking away all the maternity services away from north of the M60 and they need to reconsider that.
"All we're asking for is for them to revisit the decision and make sure the people in this area don't lose out."
Bury Council's health scrutiny committee was due to discuss the decision and look at all the options of appeal.
Cllr Campbell said the committee could ask Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt to review the decision.
He added: "I don't want to pre-empt what the councillors decide but I think if we're not getting any joy following the meeting with Mike Farrar then we could look into seeing whether the minister will revisit the decision."
Campaigners have vowed to fight on to stop the closure of Fairfield's baby unit, which under the Making It Better plans could happen in the next three to five years.
The maternity decision was due to be discussed this month by the Joint Committee of PCTs alongside the provisional Healthy Futures decision to keep Fairfield's A&E open.
That meeting has now been put back until January 5 at Rochdale Town Hall.
- THERE was more bad news for Fairfield when it was announced one of its two rehabilitation wards for the elderly is to close.
The move was first announced in the summer set out to close more than 200 beds in its four hospitals. But it was postponed after complaints that the public had not been consulted.
Tom Wilders, director of strategic planning, said: "After consideration of all points made in the consultation, the Trust has decided to proceed with the proposal to close Ward 30."
The adjoining Ward 29, which caters for the same kind of patients, will be 'developed' but it will still mean an overall loss of 18 beds.
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27/01/2007 at 13:16