THE threat to the special care baby unit and other maternity services in Bury is to be investigated by special task forces.

Under controversial proposals Fairfield Generral Hospital could lose its special care baby unit, and round-the-clock paediatric care.

The maternity wing would be replaced by a midwife unit, and more children's day-case surgery would be performed at the hospital.

By cutting overnight children's services at Fairfield Hospital, health chiefs say the would be able to "pool expertise" and provide "round-the-clock" paediatric services in other hospitals.

Emergency cases or children needing overnight care would be referred or transferred to other hospitals such as Rochdale Infirmary, North Manchester General or the Royal Oldham Hospital.

The recommendations put forward by the Children's Network of Greater Manchester, East Cheshire and High Peak also call for "enhanced" community based services for children and the establishment of "centres of excellence" at fewer sites.

Bury's local health authority have set up task forces to see how the proposals, if agreed, would affect local people.

The children's and a maternity task force -- made up of local health care professionals including midwives, doctors and nurses -- will look at services in other hospitals to see whether they could meet the needs of the people of Bury if the changes went ahead.

Mr Stephen Mills, deputy chief executive of Bury Primary Care Trust, said: "The task forces will look at how services for Bury children and families could be best served by the proposals, should they get the go ahead."

Two workshops will be held to discuss the findings of the task forces as part of a public consultation taking place in autumn.