COUNCILLORS are poised to ask Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt to intervene in plans to close Salford's maternity unit.

A health and children's joint watchdog rejected a health bosses' decision to cut overnight maternity and children's services from 13 to eight sites across Greater Manchester, including Hope Hospital in Salford.

It says that the Making It Better consultation was flawed, the decision-making process was `misdirected' and the recommendations are not in the best interests of local people. It has referred the decision to the council's Health Scrutiny Committee, which, when it meets on January 24, is expected to ask Ms Hewitt to review the consultation.

The consultation was the biggest in the history of the National Health Service, affecting three million people. It lasted two years and was conducted across the region, triggering an unprecedented 52,000 written responses, as well as petitions signed by thousands, speeches in the Commons and public marches.

The council is also considering challenging the plans in court and are currently waiting for legal advice.

Consultation

Salford council leader John Merry said: "This has not been a fair consultation; some decisions were made before they should have been.

"Some options, including those for continued maternity services at Hope, were ruled out at too early a stage because of a single factor, with no consideration for other points."

Leila Williams, director of the Children, Young People and Families Network, who ran the consultation, said: "We understand the concerns of Salfordians.

"However, this is not about punishing or rewarding individual units.

"This decision was made after a rigorous and extensive consultation, so it will be disappointing if the Salford Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee do decide to refer it to the Secretary of State."