I WAS rather shocked to read about the rumours over the future of the paediatric department at Fairfield Hospital.

I am not very sure how true these rumours are, but if they are true then I am disappointed. In spite of working as a consultant paediatrician since 1992, as a lead clinician for six years, and then as medical director of Bury Trust for a further six years, I am unaware of any such rumour and no-one has discussed this matter with me or my colleagues.

If it proves to be true, then I feel sorry for the innocent children, the people of Bury and the doctors and nurses who work at Fairfield Hospital.

Over the years, Fairfield children's department has provided excellent care. The people of Bury have been generous and have donated more than £200,000 worth of equipment to our Special Care Baby Unit. By making use of this equipment we have been able to provide good quality care. We are proud of our department.

If there are plans to dismantle such an excellent department, then it is a travesty. We need to provide that quality of care wherever our children are, but there has to be some discussion about rationalising the services at Bury, North Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale. It must be done properly, following proper consultation with staff, patients, public and politicians. The vast majority of care should be provided as locally as possible, so that parents need not travel with a sick child.

I am extremely proud of our children's department. We have a dedicated team of nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other staff. We also provide a lot of specialist services locally.

If the service in Rochdale is to be transferred to Oldham, and the one in Bury to North Manchester, then the whole area will be devoid of acute women's and children's services. If this rumour is true, it would mean no service for acutely-ill children between North Manchester and Burnley, which is approximately 30 miles.

By any standard, these are drastic measures and to dismantle a well-established department is just not acceptable. Any re-organisation must be on the basis of improving the quality of care for our children, and what is right for the patients and the public.

I sincerely request the good people of Bury, and our MPs, to join together to start a constructive discussion so that we can work together to ensure our children get the best possible care.

Dr P. UMESH PRABHU,

consultant paediatrician.