Balderstone & Kirkholt Councillor Praises Rochdale's Maternity Unit

Recently I was fortunate to have supported my wife during the birth of our baby son at Rochdale Infirmary's maternity Unit. As you can imagine, for a first time mother it was a nerve racking time for her, but all the staff that she and I encountered at the unit gave her the highest standard of care.

In fact, I can categorically state that there was a golden thread of care and attention in the treatment provided right from community care, to the hospital's maternity unit and through the antenatal, delivery and post natal stages.

I would like to praise all the staff who work in Maternity services for their sheer professionalism and great compassion that we both witnessed in abundance. We could not have asked for better care.

One thing I can say is that at any time I visited the maternity unit, whether in the preceding weeks leading up to or during the birth of my son, there was clearly no rest for the staff as the place was constantly heaving

• more evidence about the need for such health services for the communities of Rochdale.

Let me use the privilege of office at this moment to really plead for a proper plan for maternity services in Rochdale post 2011.

Naturally I was against the decision to close the unit at the Infirmary.

However, I would like to see from local health chiefs a maternity solution that ensures we don't lose some of the great staff in our possession - that I saw at first hand - to neighbouring towns.

Cllr Dale Mulgrew

(Portfolio Holder for Health and Social Care)