By chief reporter Angela Cole

acole@thekmgroup.co.uk

Maidstone people told health bosses in no uncertain terms that they did not want to lose their maternity services and children's ward at a public meeting last night.

The KCC-organised meeting, at Mote Hall, attracted hundreds of vocal people, wanting to give their views to trust management who propose to move the services to the new Pembury Hospital from Maidstone when it opens next year.

Children's services would operate between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday at Maidstone, if the changes go ahead, and a small, midwife-led unit without consultants would remain for mums-to-be.

Audio: Views at on the maternity move

Despite putting their point for the improvement of services if the plans go ahead, NHS West Kent's Wilson Bolsover did admit: "I wouldn't choose to have my baby in a midwifery led unit because I want different things."

He told the Kent Messenger after the meeting, however, that it was because he could exercise his choice and would want consultants on hand because he was aware of the dangers of childbirth.

A number of mums who had had babies in Maidstone recently and years ago told of their experiences, many of whom had given birth in a shorter time than the trust's average journey times between Maidstone and Pembury of 24 minutes by ambulance, and 40 minutes by car.

Many people spoke against the proposals by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, including KCC leader Cllr Paul Carter, Maidstone council leader Cllr Chris Garland and consultant Jonathan Goodman.

Maidstone and the Weald MP Helen Grant (Con) told the meeting in a rousing speech: "Our community has spoken out loud and clear. We have no hidden agenda. We are not asking for anything new and we don't want something extra, we simply want to retain our existing services and the maintain genuine choices for our community.

"The evidence against downgrading of our hospital is powerful. These plans are wrong and dangerous and they will lead to fatalities."

Representatives of NHS West Kent, the hospital trust and the strategic health authority, which must report back to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley on its local assessment of how the plans are viewed, told the meeting the status quo was unsustainable and that the new Pembury Hospital was an improvement.

Several midwives also spoke in favour of the plans. Gillian Duffey, head of midwifery at the trust, described a midwifery-led birthing unit as "having a home birth in a different facility."

"We do think that a proper midwifery led unit at Maidstone Hospital site will be an advance in the delivery of services in west Kent."

There was disagreement over whether the proposals affecting Maidstone Hospital had been approved. Sue Bell from the health authority told the meeting they had been approved by Mr Lansley, while Mrs Grant pointed out that his decision so far had been on the Pembury plans, not the Maidstone end.

The meeting also heard that hospital staff were afraid to speak out in opposition and, when asked, chief executive Glenn Douglas agreed to carry out an anonymous survey of staff to find out their true opinions.

A show of hands at the meeting showed a handful in favour and the overwhelming majority against the plans.