by Angela Cole

The bid to keep full maternity services in Maidstone will be independently reviewed.

Health secretary Andy Burnham has referred the issue to the independent reconfiguration panel.

The battle to stop consultant maternity services moving away from Maidstone Hospital, concentrating them at Pembury, has been led by MASH (Maidstone Action for Services in Hospital) and parliamentary candidates.

MASH chairman Dennis Fowle said of the health secretary’s decision: “This is excellent news, and the best that Maidstone can currently hope for.

“We have a very powerful case to put to this panel and we are confident that it will be successful.”

Members of MASH will be among those giving evidence to the panel.

They have nine key issues which they want to argue, including the recent decision for Hastings and Eastbourne to keep their maternity units separate and the inadequate roads between Maidstone and Pembury.

There is no timescale set yet for the panel to meet and review the case, but it is expected to take several months and will involve trust bosses, clinicians, local doctors and campaigners.