A RETIRED midwife who has delivered more than 4,000 babies is calling on health chiefs to rethink plans to shift some maternity services to Halifax.

Anne Vaseer - who worked as a Huddersfield midwife for 26 years - has condemned proposals to transfer mums-to-be to the Calderdale Royal Hospital for delivery.

Under the plans by the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, women needing consultant care - including those undergoing caesareans and even epidural anaesthetics - will have to be moved to the Halifax site.

Only a midwife-led unit will remain at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Ms Vaseer, 67, who previously helped transfer women in labour from the Princess Royal maternity hospital in Greenhead Road to the Infirmary, said: "It just won't work.

"It was bad enough when we had to transfer from the Princess Royal to the Infirmary. We didn't always manage to get there in time.

"I have sat there with women in danger many times. It is extremely stressful."

"Ainley Top to Halifax is a nightmare. I don't see why the consultant can't move to where the women are. They could get a police escort."

But consultant Martin De Bono, of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, said moving consultants was not an option.

He said: "Taking the consultant to the patient is the "flying squad" model which we used to use 20 years ago.

"We realised then that this was folly and not the safest way to handle situations.

"We realised the safest way is to stabilise the patient and transfer her to the obstetric unit under blue light.

"Rather than send out the obstetrician to a place where they cannot potentially deal with a patient, we realised it is better to bring the patient to the consultant where a consultant is set up and geared up, with the equipment and support staff, and ready to treat them. This has proved far safer and quicker."

He said there were other reasons why bringing the consultant to the patient is not feasible.

"If a woman was found to need a caesarean section they would need an obstetric anaesthetist as well as a consultant and they too would be in Halifax.

"All these issues would compound problems and increase risk when the whole reason for this change is to reduce it."

* People only have until January 16, 2006, to participate in the consultation process.

Copies of the consultation document are available from libraries, GP practices and health centres. It can also be downloaded from www.future.cht.nhs.uk

For further information about the consultation ring Javid Hussain on 01422 281463 or write to Looking to the Future, c/o Calderdale PCT, F Mill, Dean Clough, Halifax, HX3 5AX.