Council leader welcomes health review

Councillor Alan Taylor with Sir Cyril Smith

Council leader, Councillor Alan Taylor has welcomed the Secretary of State for Health’s decision to review the Child Care and Maternity decision at Fairfield Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary.  

Speaking at the Council Meeting last night (Wednesday 7 February) he said: “Can I congratulate campaigners from Rochdale Infirmary and Fairfield Hospital – we never gave up hope that the campaigns were over.  This Council has continued the good campaigning reputation it has and I thank the Council Members in this room who have done a massive amount of work.  I am delighted that the Secretary of State for Health will now review this crass, ill thought decision.”

He continued after the meeting: “Praise too must go to Paul Rowen – Rochdale’s MP who has worked solidly with campaigners including the Friends of our Hospital to ensure this campaign is not over!  I was proud to see this announcement made by the Secretary of State was prompted by a Parliamentary Question by Paul.  Outsiders who think Paul has failed Rochdale will now look incredibly stupid – maybe they’ll think again before making ill thought, ill judged and ill conceived comments to the press.

"I will now be insisting that the Independent Reconfiguration Panel come to speak to Councillors and Campaign Groups.  I have also received assurances from the Chairs of Pennines and Rochdale Townships that they will be invited to future meetings as well as the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  We will also look at working with the Friends of our Hospital in a Public Meeting at the Town Hall so that this panel have no doubt that the whole of Rochdale is against these cost cutting exercises by the Government.”

Veteran Health Campaigner Sir Cyril Smith MBE said: "I am obviously delighted at this latest development and the hope that this now brings.  This has been a long campaign and the fact that the Secretary of State for Health is reviewing the decision on Maternity and Child Care in Greater Manchester.  I congratulate campaigners including Father Arthur Nearey, Paul Rowen MP, Councillor Jean Ashworth, Carol Ashworth-Lord and the rest of the Friends of our Hospital.  The Friends of our Hospital have worked wonders – trips to London, numerous meetings organised and much more.  I am experienced enough to understand that this is only a temporary reprieve but I know that we now have the chance to have our say and the people making the decisions will not have any vested interests.”