TOP doctors at Fairfield Hospital have hit out at plans to axe women and children's services which could mark the end of its special care baby unit.

In a damning letter to health chiefs just days before a mass public meeting on Monday (Sept 13), Dr Anton Sinniah, chairman of the Fairfield Consultants Committee, stated: "We do not feel these services should be withdrawn from Bury."

Although accepting change in the health service was necessary, Dr Sinniah branded the decision to single out Fairfield as "politically motivated".

Under the proposals, Fairfield Hospital stands to lose its special care baby unit and maternity services would be replaced with a mid-wife led unit. Children would no longer be admitted overnight, although there would be an increase in children's day surgery and community-based children's services would be established.

In a letter to Neil Goodwin, chief executive of the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (SHA), Dr Sinniah said the proposals would have a knock-on effect on other services stating "Few surgeons would be happy to carry out operations locally on children without access to paediatricians or their beds."

He called for the services at Fairfield Hospital to be "enhanced and expanded" saying it would be more "cost efficient".

"I would have to question the logic of breaking up an efficient and reputable unit, only to rebuild a unit a few miles away as a cost which will be at least £20million initially," he stated.

Monday's public meeting will be held in the Elizabethan Suite at Bury Town Hall, starting at 7pm, organised by the Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society (FBLS).

FBLS chairman Dr Said Hany, who is also an associate specialist in paediatrics at Fairfield Hospital, said: "It is important to have the support of the consultants to save women's and children's services."

"This is a very important meeting to get support for our campaign. We need everyone to come on Monday. We can win this campaign but only with the help of the people of the borough.

The society has invited a number of health officers to attend along with Bury's two MPs, David Chaytor and Ivan Lewis.

Ian Rhodes, spokesman for Greater Manchester SHA, said: "The proposals are those of the children and young people's network, following extensive research and public involvement. It will be for the 14 primary care trusts to undertake the formal public consultation later in the year. The SHA's role will then be to confirm whether the final recommendations match the strategic development of health services across the conurbation."