SPECIALISED maternity care could be axed at Fairfield General Hospital in a shake-up of services.

A leaked document obtained by the Bury Times outlines controversial proposals to transfer obstetrics and neo-natal care to other hospitals within The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

But certain to go ahead is the removal of seven-day gynaecology care. The ward will operate on a Monday to Friday basis with the possibility that it will be used as a day case unit only.

Chris Appleby, chief executive of the trust, admitted the gynaecology ward, referred to as Ward 5, would operate on a five-day basis because "there is excess capacity within gynaecology".

But he stressed the other proposals were "options", which were in their early stages, and if they were put forward, would have to go out to consultation.

But one member of staff, who did not want to be named, described the reduction in the operating hours of Ward 5 as "the thin end of the wedge" and added that the other options "would naturally follow".

The Bury Times understands that if Ward 5 was open Monday to Friday between 8am and 8pm, it would result in the loss of five-full time staff nurses and four beds.

The staff member said: "What will happen if women need emergency treatment outside of the ward's opening hours, for example if they have an ectopic pregnancy, which is life-threatening? They will have to be transferred elsewhere in a situation where every second counts."

Staff say they were "told", not consulted, over plans to reduce the opening hours last week.

"This is the thin end of the wedge," said the member of staff, "By doing this management will be able to take away the other services.

"Reducing the operating hours of the ward makes it easier to turn it into a day case unit only, which will mean the loss of the specialised medical team, who also work in obstetrics."

Mr Appleby said that it made sense to reduce the operating hours of the gynaecology ward given that it had a bed occupancy rate of 54.8 per cent in 2002/3.

He stressed that an early pregnancy unit would be set up to reduce the number of patients requiring emergency admission to gynaecology.

Mr Appleby added: "The other proposals mentioned on the document are very early ideas and options."

A spokesman for the trust said: "This document was designed to raise the types of questions being asked by staff. We will be having a discussion with them before any changes in hours, or the way the ward operates, are made."