THE dismantling of Rochdale Infirmary's key life-saving services is under way.

By the end of this year, all acute surgery and emergency orthopaedics will be carried out at the Royal Oldham Hospital, while the walk-in centre in Whitehall Street will be relocated to the Infirmary.

Other major changes will take place next summer, including the downgrading of the accident and emergency department to an urgent care centre.

This will mean that the most seriously ill patients will be taken from Rochdale to the Royal Oldham or Fairfield General.

At about the same time acute medicine will be shifted to Oldham and Fairfield.

Birch Hill Hospital will finally close its doors when ophthalmology, neurology and ear, nose and throat outpatients’ services are transferred out of town in autumn 2010.

The timetable for the controversial phased closures of key services at the Infirmary was unveiled by health chiefs to the Observer this week.

The radical overhaul will be completed by winter 2011/2012 when the Infirmary will become a locality hospital, focusing on urgent, intermediate and planned care, as well as community-based, outpatient and diagnostic services.

Since the Government confirmed the shake-up in August 2007, campaigners and angry staff have vowed to fight the decision.

They argue that emergency wards are already at breaking point and claim that neighbouring hospitals will struggle to cope with the extra demand once the changes are implemented.

And ambulance drivers have warned that patients could die because of the additional time taken to transfer them to out-of-town hospitals.

But Sir Jonathan Asbridge, the director of the Healthy Futures programme, rejected these fears and insisted that the shake-up will benefit everyone in the region.

He also dismissed suggestions that Rochdale was losing out to neighbouring towns and hit back at rumours that critically ill patients will be turned away if they arrive at the Infirmary.

"The only reason for the Healthy Futures programme was to improve services for the people of Rochdale.

"I can completely understand the public’s worries. As part of the process, very careful assessments of alternative journey times are being undertaken by ourselves and the North West Ambulance Service.

"Changes would not be made until such time as the ambulance trust can assure us that they have the appropriate resources in place to maintain the existing high level of hospital care."

He stressed that Rochdale will benefit from new facilities with a rehabilitation centre being built at the Infirmary next summer.

Despite his reassurances, Rochdale MP Paul Rowen said he remained seriously concerned by the proposals and vowed to continue to oppose the ‘ill-thought decision’.

He added: "I have raised my concerns with Sir Jonathan, which include making sure there is adequate provision of ambulances for Rochdale, that there are clear procedures for directing emergency patients to the right hospital and that there is regular public transport for patients who will be forced to go to another hospital.

"These concerns have come about after witnessing over the last few months the same disastrous policy being carried out at Burnley accident and emergency. Many patients have been forced to travel for treatment and many have been forced into Rochdale Infirmary which is simply unacceptable."

Trevor Purt, chief executive of NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale and the Healthy Futures programme, said: "This is a tremendously important time for our patients, public and staff as we make improvements to healthcare services that will provide benefits for years to come.

"Together, with our primary care colleagues and Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, we are working collectively to ensure we can deliver effective and efficient services."

Health bosses say that the programme will help to improve services as patients will be able to see specialists at centres of excellence and will then have the opportunity to complete their treatment at their local hospital.

Ruth Jameson, the medical director of Pennine Acute, added: "There have been many years of work and discussions with patients, healthcare professionals, local NHS partners and the wider community to reach the stage we are at now.

"We are committed to providing the people of the north east of Greater Manchester with a health service that suits their needs and of which they can be proud."

The move was also welcomed by Barbara Allen of the Patients’ Council.

She said: "The development of centres of excellence, together with care and treatment at patients’ homes or the new health centres, will ensure we can still receive the very best of treatment."