A leading campaigner fighting to secure the future of the maternity unit at St Peter's Hospital in Maldon has warned the fight is not yet over.

Nicky Crisp who is chairman of MOMMS (Mums Opposed to Maldon Maternity Shutdown) is also a member of the Mid Essex Maternity Services Liaison Committee.

She explained the draft proposal for the setting up of the review committee into maternity services was now being finalised.

"We thought it was just going to be about the GP maternity units that were threatened with closure and how best to run them so they are cost effective and we get the best from them.

"But it seems it is going to look into the whole provision of maternity services and become a Taking the Initiative two.

"The review could last for up to a year and this is a bit of a worry. No one seems to know where it is going. The future is uncertain at the moment."

In December the North Essex Health Authority announced it was going to review proposals to close the maternity units at Maldon, Braintree, Clacton and Harwich, after a public outcry.

Those proposals had been put forward in its Taking the Initiative document which outlined a list of planned cuts in various health services to save money.

Mrs Crisp will represent MOMMS on the review committee which will have an independent chairman and have lay and professional members.

She also appealed for mothers-to-be and representatives of organisations concerned with maternity services to join the liaison committee.

It meets every two months and is made up of maternity service users and health professionals.

Anyone interested in joining should contact chairman Caroline Anderson on 01621 785489 or Michelle Rawlings from the health authority on 01376 532605.

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