by Mary Graham

Health campaigners were delighted when plans to move maternity services away from Maidstone were referred to the health secretary.

But a month on, it appears that Andy Burnham has not even looked at the issue.

He is now being pressed to consider the implications of moving consultant maternity services away from Maidstone and concentrating them at Pembury Hospital.

Kent County Council’s health scrutiny committee, which made the referral, has received a response from the Department of Health indicating the matter has not yet been addressed by any health minister.

The committee’s chairman Cllr Godfrey Horne (Con) said: "This is unfortunate, especially as the new key points were sent to the secretary of state with local objections, explaining that the decision was not in the best interests of the community.

"It was also highlighted that questions remained about the consultation process.

"We made it absolutely clear that a solution could not be found locally and we required the minister to look at this matter urgently.

"We are all anxious that this issue is addressed as soon as possible as time is of the essence.

"The proposals to move vital services away from Maidstone have led to a lot of anxiety and it is only right we get this resolved quickly."