A MAJOR public consultation exercise is underway to decide the fate of two hospital wards facing the threat of closure, writes Craig Manning.

Wards six and seven at Victoria Central Hospital in Mill Lane, Wallasey, - revamped at a cost of £300,000 - are to be closed following streamlining moves planned by Wirral's primary care trusts.

The Transport and General Workers Union launched a petition against the closure proposals, claiming that health service bosses had gone back on their word about maintaining services for the elderly.

The petition has amassed more than 10,000 signatures.

A 12-week public consultation exercise has been launched this week, which will end on January 14.

Birkenhead and Wallasey Primary Care Trusts insist that the proposals are not designed to remove the right of NHS care for the elderly, or to deny hospital care to the needy.

They say the moves are aimed at providing fast access to safe high quality hospital care only when needed; and to ensure that nobody has to stay in hospital for longer than necessary. Trust figures revealed that over the past six months, an average 52 elderly people per week were still waiting in hospital beds when they did not need hospital care.

A new £2m walk-in centre, comprising a minor injuries unit, outpatient suite, family-planning clinic is due to open in December and developers are now being sought to build a new GP surgery.

Kathy Doran, Chief Executive of Bebington and West Wirral Primary Care Trust, told the Globe: "The proposals are about the Trust trying to be pro-active and avoiding the need for the elderly to be admitted into hospital unnecessarily.

"The proposals are not something radical for Wirral, because they will improve services to fit in with a national framework."

Mrs Doran added: "Nobody is objecting to 90% of the proposals, apart from the proposed ward closures, and there are emotional ties to this. The public needs to be aware that this is not just a Wallasey issue, because it does affect the whole of Wirral.

"Very clearly, we want VCH to continue to provide a primary care service in Wallasey, but only 43% of patients are from Wallasey. The proposals went before New Brighton and Wallasey forum and the response was positive."

The proposals are now on display at health centres and libraries.