The future of Bolton's baby and children's super-centre is to be decided by a panel of experts.

After winning the battle to be named as one of the region's three centres of excellence for neonatal, baby and children's services, hospital bosses must now await the outcome of a review into the decision by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP).

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt referred the decision to the panel, which was founded in 2003 to provide advice to the Government on contested proposals for health service change in England, and yesterday (MONDAY) the review was launched.

It follows strong campaigning by MPs in Salford, Bury, Rochdale and Trafford, where the maternity units are earmarked for closure.

Among the campaigners have been Hazel Blears, the MP for Salford and Labour Party chairman, and Ivan Lewis, MP for Bury South and the health minister in charge of maternity services.

Chairman of the IRP, Dr Peter Barrett, said: "As part of the review we will listen to interested parties from all sides of the debate. Our job is to provide recommendations to the Secretary of State that offer local people high quality, accessible, safe and sustainable healthcare services.

"Our key focus throughout the review will therefore be on the patient and the quality of patient care. We will also consider the local impact of these proposals within the context of wider national policy objectives."

Thousands of people supported The Bolton News' Back The Baby Unit campaign, calling for the Royal Bolton Hospital to be named as one of the centres of excellence.

If the decision to make it a super-centre is backed, an additional £10 million will be pumped into the hospital's yearly budget.

But staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital are confident the original decision will be upheld.

Dr Peter Powell, associate director for women's and children's services at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: "

The review will be completed by June, when it will also be published, but the final decision will be made by Patricia Hewitt.