BURY'S health watchdog is urging experts involved in determining the future of Fairfield Hospital to attend a meeting highlighting concerns surrounding the Making it Better proposals.

The Patient and Public Involvement in Health (PPI) forum is one of a group of organisations which have replaced community health councils in England to deal with local health issues and concerns.

It is inviting representatives from all stakeholders, including the PPI Forums in all areas affected by the proposed changes, MPs and Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society, to voice concerns over the proposals which could see the closure of Fairfield's maternity department in a bid to centralise services and specialise skills.

The independent forum, made up of nine volunteers who have spent the last 18 months working closely with Bury PCT monitoring events during the Making it Better engagement process, aims to list the areas of concern where more work may be required or further data collected before a final decision is made. By law, all trusts must listen to the PPI Forum and provide a response to the views gathered from the public.

Chairman Barbara Barlow said: "I do not think individual groups can do anything and if you try on your own, you can just be easily dismissed so we are trying to get everybody together. Instead of talking about it on the outside, people should come inside and talk to us."

The group's future public meetings will now include a 30-minute open forum for members of the public to voice their general concerns or share best practice. The next meeting will be held at Bury Metro Deaf Centre, 8 Tenterden Street in Bury, on Monday, February 20 at 2pm. To contact the PPI Forum, call 0161 763 1447 or email ppihfbury@btconnect.com.