MOTHERS-to-be fear they could be left without vital care if plans to move some maternity services out of Winchester go ahead, a meeting heard.

It comes after the Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust announced multi-million pound plans to build a centralised hospital for the sickest patients in between Winchester and Basingstoke, including stroke and heart attack victims.

Worried mums said they feared travelling to a hospital further away could cause complications.

The ASK the NHS meeting, chaired by Winchester and Chandler’s Ford MP Steve Brine, heard from senior medical staff at the trust, who said the new hospital would improve services for women across the region.

Chief executive, Mary Edwards, said the Winchester and Basingstoke maternity wards would be midwife-led, for ‘low risk’ pregnancies, and would not have inpatient facilities for expectant mums.

Caesareans, epidurals, post-birth operations and intensive care would be located at the new £120 million centre, which will have its own ‘low risk’ unit.

She said: “We don’t have 24/7 consultants today, and that’s what we want to offer.

“This is about delivering and improving services in general hospitals.”

Dr Michael Heard, obstetrician, said: “The vast majority of what we do will remain local, and be improved locally. All anti-natal care will be provided as near to the patients as possible.”

But some parents were worried about travelling from one hospital to another if a ‘low risk’ birth suddenly becomes ‘high risk’.

A father in the audience, at the United Church in Jewry Street, said: “If something goes wrong with a baby every minute counts. This will just lead to more lawsuits against the hospital, whether the hospital is responsible or not, if for example a baby is brain damaged from spending 20 minutes in an ambulance.”

Health chiefs have not yet chosen a site for the centre, but say it could be at North Hampshire Hospital in Basingstoke or the ‘green triangle’ – somewhere between the M3, A303 and A34.

Ms Edwards said the latter is preferred, which she says will give ambulances easier access to critical units.

However, some of the audience remained unconvinced, and mother-of-one Rachael Gardner, 40, of Oliver’s Battery, said she thinks the Winchester maternity ward would become a ‘glorified home birth unit’.

“I think Winchester will be less-used,” she said.

“I just think the birthing centres are going to be like a home birth unit, with the same care and support you would receive at home from a midwife.”

The plans are yet to be formally decided, and the public consultation will start later this year.

The panel also included Dr Simon Struthers, paediatric consultant and Caroline Brunt, associate director of midwifery and women’s health, both of HHFT.