Maternity unit closure set for approval

Rochdale Infirmary

Plans to close the Maternity Unit at the Rochdale Infirmary are likely to be approved at a meeting this week.

NHS North West postponed a decision to close consultant-led maternity units in Rochdale, Bury and Salford in December. But the agenda papers for a meeting to be held on Wednesday (2 February 2011) say that the reconfiguration scheme passes the four reconfiguration tests and implementation should proceed.

The papers state: “Support for the timetable for the relocation of maternity services from Rochdale and from Bury,” should be implemented.

The report adds that the establishment of a stand-alone Midwife Led Unit in Salford and the consideration of stand-alone Midwife Led Units in Bury and Rochdale should also be implemented.

The re-organisation of maternity care across Greater Manchester named Making It Better (MIB) - was approved in 2007 by the previous Labour government, but was put on hold last year by new health secretary Andrew Lansley.

Papers going to the board recommend implementing the plans but changing the timing of the closures to bring forward either Bury or Rochdale.

It suggests that the closures at Rochdale should take place first, in the summer of this year (2011) in light of the planning for the relocation of acute in-patient services from the Rochdale Infirmary site in 2011.

The paper adds: “NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale is exploring the feasibility of a stand-alone Midwife Led Unit in the Rochdale Borough but this is in the early stages and more work is required to enable the PCT board to make a decision.”

The chairwoman of Rochdale Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Jean Ashworth, said the news is “disgraceful” she added: “It is so disappointing. We are not being listened to. I have no confidence in any of them to be honest.”