LABOUR chairman Hazel Blears today faces a twin attack over her support for maternity services in her Salford constituency.
In a scathing letter, former health boss Dr Ian Greatorex branded her actions `unprincipled'.
He claimed the MP had used the NHS as a tool to further her political career.
She faces further pressure in the Commons later today - when the Tories are expected to accuse her of `hypocrisy' and invite her to join their campaign against the reforms of NHS maternity services.
Dr Greatorex, retired chief of Salford and Trafford Health Authority, claims that in 1998 Ms Blears failed to back a plan to transfer Trafford General's paediatric department to Hope Hospital in Salford and says she welcomed the fact the then Health Secretary personally intervened to stop the move.
Dr Greatorex says this blighted children's health services in Salford for years - and she was now protesting about a situation `she helped to bring about'.
Storm
Ms Blears' decision to join mothers and midwifes to protest against the closure of Hope's maternity unit provoked a storm last month.
Critics claimed she was cynically abandoning her own government's national health policy when it came to reforms that affected her own constituency.
There were also claims that her support for the maternity unit was a blatant bid to improve her chances of beating Eccles Labour MP Ian Stewart in a selection battle later this month.
Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley was today leading a debate in the Commons on cuts to maternity services - and the Tories are expected to highlight Ms Blears' position.
Mr Lansley said: "Ministers can't have it both ways.
"They can't have a national policy saying services should be concentrated into larger maternity units, while at the same time locally supporting people who are campaigning for local services.
"Ministers like Hazel Blears are acting like hypocrites."
Letter
The M.E.N. has seen a letter to Ms Blears from Dr Greatorex, retired chief executive of Salford and Trafford Health Authority, who is a supporter of Hope. In the letter, he launches a scathing attack.
He claims Ms Blears, who is also his local MP, has been inconsistent with her support of Hope.
Dr Greatorex writes that in 1998, as a newly elected MP, she failed to back a health authority's proposal that Trafford General's paediatric in-patient department should close and be transferred to Hope. At the time, Health Secretary Frank Dobson intervened to stop the move - and Ms Blears welcomed it.
Dr Greatorex says in his letter that the decision blighted children's health services in Salford for years and adds: "Your unprincipled intervention in 1998 helped to bring about the unfortunate situation in which we now find ourselves. In my view, you and your government have treated the local health service as a tool in furtherance of your own political careers, which explains why you now protest about a situation which you helped to bring about."
Dr Greatorex told the M.E.N: "She gave a promise then that children's services would be developed at Hope. Nine years later, they have not been. I feel badly let down by my MP."
'Concerns'
Yesterday after the M.E.N. contacted her office about Dr Greatorex's letter, Ms Blears arranged for a reply to be hand-delivered to his home in Salford. In it, she says: "I recall the consultation which took place nearly ten years ago and which was halted as a result of the concerns of residents in Trafford about the future of their maternity services. In many ways, their concerns then echo the views of Salford families today.
"The events of 1998 were then caught up in a further review of specialist children's services, including Pendlebury Children's Hospital and Booth Hall Hospital, which recommended on clinical and safety grounds that in-patient paediatric services should be re-provided at the new specialist children's hospital in central Manchester.
"As the local MP, I supported that decision, even though it was unpopular, as I believed it was the right thing to do to ensure the safety of children and babies at a very vulnerable time of their lives.
"I am sure you will agree many changes have occurred in medical practice and services organisation over the last ten years and it is not possible to conclude that services would have remained the same if particular decisions had been taken ten years ago.
"I reject entirely your allegation that my intervention in the current debate is unprincipled, as I'm sure you will know I have been actively pursuing this issue and pressing for services to remain at Hope for the last two-and-a-half years."
In response to the Tory attack, Ms Blears added: "People in Greater Manchester will think twice before taking the Conservatives' advice on what's best for our National Health Service.
"Today's Tories are proposing cuts in public spending which will inevitably mean real cuts to the NHS."
Comments
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Dr Greatorex is to be congratulated on his letter exposing the hypocrisy of Blears and her cynical attempts to curry favour with the Salford electorate. In any case, to be both principled and a politician must be the ultimate contradiction.
During the interval between rounds on this one in what seems to be an interesting debate, I just wanted to say what Tories in Manchester?
I can't help feeling Dr Greatorex might have strengthened his arguments and contentions if he had written them openly to the general public rather than leaking them to the MEN. Bet any staff who had leaked in his time as CE would have been subject to swift disciplinary action!
Old Soldier
Well said that man!
these politicians line there own pockets to enable to get futher up the ladder and tell fibs and dont carry out the tasks and promises they promise,the uk is a poor country to live in.
Funny how Blears has come out fighting for what the local people want now she has to get support for her to keep her constituency seat.....
Hazel has been a big supporter of the NHS in Salford for over 20 years. She Chaired the Community Health Council (CHC) in the days the Tories were savaging the NHS. She has always stood up for Salford & supported the NHS services here. SO this stance isn't something new but comes from something she passionately belives in.
The changes being suggested are not about 'cuts' but about service improvement, anybody with any intelligence would support the theory behind the proposals. Unfortunately the Greater Manchester PCT committee that made the decision ignored the financial & practical reasons for keeping Hope's unit open. They messed up & made the wrong decision & I think it's fair game for Hazel to say so & campaign against it.
This shows that Hazel truly cares about Salford & won't let her status in the Cabinet stop her from saying so!
The people of Salford should be proud for having an MP prepared to fight for them.
Hazel has climbed the political leadesrhip ladder and lost touch with her voters. Now her seat is under threat it appears she is clinging on to the life raft before it sinks. Please get back to being a real local MP!
I have had 3 occasions to rush to Hope Hospital with family in the last two years. The staff and service were so excellent and we should be proud of the staff who work there. The big picture on Health spending is something ordinary folk surely are not going to understand, such large numbers, and the attempt to cut back the losses there will be casualties. What I see now is the awakening to reality as the cuts threaten our local service and what a great MP we have who looks at the hear and now and has made a decision, on behalf of the local people, to be standing up for our collective right to stop and think about the dangers. Yet some hot heads do go right on kicking instead of listening and acting in best harmony. If our Hope service is axed it will be those negative letter writers in our midst that added weight to the end. Do you note some of the letter writers do not even live in Salford. Why are they out to kick our MP or maybe they think if they cause Hope to close there will be more cash to spread to their area. Time to call on shared respect and welcome everyone who is asking for Hope services to be assessed on the present day need and staff performances. Thank You Hazel Blears you have got this one spot on.