THE FORMER head of midwifery has spoken out in support for what she calls Macclesfield Hospital's "gem" of a maternity unit.

Pauline Hallam, 61, who retired in June 2000, said: "It is so essential that we have the paediatric and obstetric services there to meet the needs of the population. We need the obstetric and paediatric input to give women the type of service they need, require and want.

"Unfortunately midwifery can change so quickly. It is an unpredictable job at times and in some cases you need expertise. I believe we need expertise on site, it is still a long way to travel in emergencies.

"Some delays could be serious if mother and baby had to travel and as a professional who has had to do that, it is not something you would relish at all. I would urge everyone to take part in the consultation, vote for Option D and support the maternity services."

Children's inpatient, maternity and neonatal wards at Macclesfield are under threat because of proposals to streamline services across East Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

People are currently being asked their views on the Making It Better proposals and have until April 13, to do so.

Macclesfield Hospital appears in Option D, but not the preferred option, Option A.

Pauline, of Fallows Hall Cottages in Chelford was determined to go to a public meeting regarding these proposals after reading about them in the Macclesfield Express.

She said: "Living in Chelford, we have received nothing through the post.

"I believe this population deserves to have the obstetric and paediatric services within this area, as I said at the public meeting; the numbers of births have increased steadily since 1990, in my book women are voting with their feet in coming to Macclesfield.

"There is good quality care at Macclesfield, the numbers are going up and it is cost effective - if this was a business you would not be axeing it."

Pauline added she was writing a letter in support of Macclesfield Hospital to the Making It Better review board.

And she also raised concerns about parents having to travel longer distances daily to visit their child if it was in a special care unit, when parental input is so important for special care babies.

Pauline, who is married with three children and nine grandchildren all born at Macclesfield Hospital, added: "We have already given women a choice and they have chosen to come to Macclesfield. Macclesfield should have it's own paediatrics and maternity services. I think the maternity unit is a gem.

"Without care for this large rural area it is going to be at a deficit. Why should parents be at a disadvantage and not have services in the area. There is a presumption that it is an affluent area and everyone has cars, but services should be accessible to all."

She also believes smaller units are better.

Pauline qualified as a midwife in 1967 and was acting head of midwifery at Macclesfield from December 1996, joining the hospital in 1974.

She gained the post in 1997 and says she thoroughly enjoyed being a midwife.