POLITICIANS on all sides united to condemn hospital bed and ward closures at Fairfield.

Councillors unanimously passed a motion condemning the "cynical" way Pennine Acute Hospital Trust had gone about the reductions, without "open or transparent" consultation.

They were particularly scathing about the proposed closure of Ward 30, a 27-bed rehabilitation unit for the elderly. The trust originally said it did not need to consult the wider community, but following pressure has agreed to do so.

Labour's John Smith, at last week's full council meeting, said this was a substantial change which affected vulnerable people.

"A caring organisation like the hospital trust should not even consider changing people's conditions without consultation," he said. And Tory leader Bob Bibby said: "Fairfield Hospital, when run by the old Bury Health Authority, was financially stable and was regarded as well run. But there have been numerous changes to the NHS by Labour, and it's now in the hands of the Pennine Acute Trust, with all its associated financial and staff morale problems."

Lib Dem councillor Vic D'Albert said the blame should be laid directly at the Government's door, because its policies had exacerbated the problem. "This is the cost of constant reorganisation, job cuts, bed losses, even selling its HQ. Yet the Government blames local management."