8:39am Wednesday 4th November 2009
A TORY politician has vowed to prevent the closure of Fairfield Hospital’s maternity ward if the Conservatives win the next general election.
MP Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health, said he will stop the move “within days” if the Tories come into power, despite work being underway to extend maternity services at the Royal Bolton Hospital.
Mr Lansley visited Bury to launch a fresh campaign against the relocation of the town’s maternity, neonatal and childrens’ in-patient services, which is due to happen in 2011.
Maternity services in the North West are being centralised from 12 to eight units as part of the NHS Making It Better scheme.
It means Bury will lose its special care baby unit, while women, children and babies will have to travel to supercentres currently being developed in Bolton and North Manchester.
More than 350 people signed a petition against the move in The Rock on Saturday.
Speaking to residents and members of Bury Council, Mr Lansley said: “I have visited Fairfield Hospital on two occasions and the consultation and decision to close was fundamentally flawed.
“The plans were based on the idea that the number of babies was going to be reduced.
“In reality, the number has gone up seven per cent in the last two years, so there are 5,000 more babies being born in Greater Manchester.
“We have won campaigns elsewhere but the hierarchy in Manchester seems not be listening.
“It seems absolutely clear that the right decision is to keep services here and I will have the power to do that within days if we are elected.”
A senior employee for maternity services at Fairfield said: “We continue to deliver a good service and want to carry on doing so for the people of Bury. We have no problems so it seems nonsense to close a perfectly good unit that is functioning well.”
Staff will also be transferred to Bolton when the £20 million Princess Anne Maternity Unit extension is complete.
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