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GOING to the top... MP Paul Rowen, Friends of our Hospital chairman Father Arthur Neary and Infirmary midwife Carole Ashworth-Lord outside Downing Street and (below) former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy signs up to our campaign.
Will it be change for the better?
Jeni Harvey5/12/2006
MONTHS of campaigning to save services at Rochdale Infirmary will come to an end this Friday when a decision on the controversial Making It Better proposals is announced.
In a worst-case scenario children's and maternity services will be moved out of Rochdale and September's decision to downgrade the accident and emergency unit will also be upheld.
Depending on which hospitals benefit from the changes, mums and sick children would be faced with a journey to Oldham, North Manchester or Fairfield Hospital in Bury.
The most seriously ill patients would also not be taken to Rochdale as it would become a 'locality' hospital without an A and E department, instead treating 85 per cent of the patients it does now in an 'urgent care centre'.
The vital decision will be made on Friday at the New Century Hall in central Manchester by the joint committee of Primary Care Trusts.
The committee has taken into consideration the unprecedented level of protest from Rochdalians, which was presented to members in the form of a 43,039-signature petition, response forms and letters.
But although Friday's decision could mean Rochdale losing vital wards, health bosses say the proposals are a 'real step forward'.
Peter Rowe, chief executive responsible for Making it Better, said: "Change is desperately overdue in these services. We want to create centres of excellence and improve in-patient services across the whole review area and the committee's decision in December will be a real step forward."
In total, the changes will affect more than three million people across Greater Manchester, East Cheshire and High Peak. Originally, retaining children's, maternity and neo-natal services at Rochdale Infirmary wasn't even to be included in any of the options put before the committee.
But in September three new options were put forward - so there's hope yet.
MP Paul Rowen plans to address Friday's meeting. He told the Observer this week: "This is a crucial decision and I will be there all day to make our points clear.
"I hope that we can celebrate a positive decision, this will be the result of a fantastic campaign that has engaged Rochdale like never before.
"The proposed axing of services at our Infirmary has been the biggest single issue I have faced since being elected.
"There are many people who have worked tirelessly with me on this campaign. This includes Carole Ashworth-Lord and the midwives, Councillor Jean Ashworth, Father Arthur Neary and the Friends of our Hospital and over 50,000 residents from Rochdale and beyond who refused to see vital services being lost."
Leader of the council, Councillor Alan Taylor, also said he was keeping his fingers crossed. He said: "We are hopeful our children's and maternity services will be saved.
"Make no mistake - it was the collective voices in Rochdale that made sure that retaining these vital services is even an option. Everyone from all walks of life, all ages and all political parties are vehemently are opposed to this and we will see if they have really listened to us."
- LOG ON to www.rochdaleobserver.co.uk on Friday - we aim to have details of the decision here soon after the announcement is made
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7/12/2006 at 09:50
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8/12/2006 at 11:37