Bury’s local hospital has been let down by the Labour Health Secreary’s decision to go ahead with the closure of Fairfield’s maternity and inpatient children’s services claim the local Liberal Democrats.

The decision of Health Secretary Alan Johnson and the Independent Review Panel to uphold the recommendations of the Greater Manchester review of maternity and children’s services will mean the loss of services at Bury’s Fairfield Hospital. The Panel recommends that the NHS looks into a midwife led maternity unit at Fairfield, but there are no promises.

Cllr Vic D’Albert, the local Lib Dem’s spokesperson on health said: “This is terrible news for the people of Bury. We’ve all been terribly let down by the Labour Health Secretary. Bury needs and dererves high quality maternity and children’s services, the Government’s decision is a terrible blow to Bury.

“To get a midwife-led maternity unit would be a help, but nothing is confirmed, and nothing is promised. How can we trust a Government that does this to our local hospital?”

“Earlier this week Conservative Leader David Cameron forgot Bury when he presented a list of hospitals his party planned to save from cuts. In the same week Labour’s Health Secretary has gone one further and closed our vital services”.

Conservative Leader David Cameron has ignored Bury by leaving out Fairfield Hospital from his campaign to save 29 local hospitals across the country.

Only last year the Tory Leader visited Bury’s Fairfield Hospital, which is currently awaiting the decision of Labours Health Secretary on the future of its maternity service.

Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Bury South Vic D’Albert said:

“It just shows we can’t trust the Conservatives on Health”. They voted against the current investment in health in Parliament, and believe in unlimited private sector involvement in health”

Local Lib Dems have been campaigning alongside others concerned about proposals to re-configure local hospital services, insisting that full maternity services and Accident and Emergency should remain at Fairfield.

“To forget to include Fairfield Hospital says a lot about Conservative priorities, if they really care about our vital hospital services local Conservatives will apologise to the people of Bury”.

“Many local people have been deeply worried about the potential of losing maternity and children’s services at Fairfield, David Cameron has just ignored us all. ”