BROMSGROVE mums face an hour-long round trip to see their prematurely born babies if a proposal to move neo-natal services to Worcester is given the go ahead at a meeting tomorrow.

Members of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust meet tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss possible changes to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch.

Proposals include closing the unit down and transferring care to the Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester or merging the service with the Redditch-based transitional care unit for babies who aren't very sick and can stay next to their mums. The changes could take place as soon as August 30.

A major shortage of highly skilled neonatal nurses has raised a question mark to hang over the future of the service.

Since 2000 13 staff have left the service while only nine have been engaged compared with seven leavers and 24 new starters in the neonatal service at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Two staff members were suspended due to clinical risk, which has left the service dramatically understaffed.

The option of merging the service with the transitional care unit is the preferred proposal of Paediatric and Obstetric Directorates.

In a report set to be submitted to the trust board, it states the option is 'a viable and clinically safe response to a deteriorating service'.

Vice-chairman of the Bromsgrove and Redditch Community Health Council, (CHC) Kath Tedstone, from Santridge Lane, Bromsgrove, was upset at the lack of consultation and said: "This matter has not been discussed at CHC level. They should have involved us in the proposal process."

She added: "Bromsgrove has an increasing population.

"We should not consider diminishing our services. We will discuss it at our next meeting."