Maternity services protest started four years ago

Jan 7 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Labour MPs Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield), Kali Mountford (Colne Valley) and Mary Creagh (Wakefield) demanded an independent inquiry into the decision.

In June Ms Hewitt ordered the Independent Reconfiguration Panel to investigate the proposed move of some maternity services from HRI.

Panel members came to Huddersfield in July to hear local opinion and protesters handed over a petition with more than 40,000 signatures at 10 Downing Street.

But the IRP backed the original decision, which was finally rubber-stamped in October 2006.

Consultant-led services were finally moved from Huddersfield to Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax last August.

Any mothers who face complications with their births are now dealt with in Halifax. Routine births take place at a multi-million-pound birth centre which was built at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.