BACK the baby unit once again - that is the plea from Bolton's health chiefs.

The review panel responsible for making the final decision on whether Bolton will be named as one of three super-centres in Greater Manchester for neonatal, maternity and children's services are calling for local people to have their say.

And hospital bosses are urging Bolton people to speak out.

Bolton was named as one of the region's three centres of excellence in December, along with St Mary's in central Manchester and the Royal Oldham Hospital.

The super-centres will provide servies in the Greater Manchester area, but 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 following campaigns by MPs in Salford, Bury, Rochdale and Trafford, where units are earmarked for closure.

Gail Naylor, head of midwifery at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: "I would absolutely encourage people in Bolton to make sure their voices are heard.

The IRP, which is made up of a team of experts from outside the North-west, are considering whether proposed changes to maternity and children's services will ensure the safe, sustainable and accessible provision of services for local people.

They are appealing to residents who feel they were not heard during the formal consultation, which ended last May, or who have new information, to contact them.

The Rt Rev Mark Santer, an IRP lay member, said: "Our job is to provide recommendations that offer local people high quality health services.

"In order to achieve this, it is vital that all local evidence is considered and so we are interested to hear from those who have information that was not submitted during the formal consultations. If you have any new information, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us."

Thousands of people supported The Bolton News' Back The Baby Unit campaign.

The campaign called for the Royal Bolton Hospital to be named as one of the centres of excellence.

Health chiefs are hopeful the panel will uphold the decision to name Bolton as a super-centre.

Mrs Naylor said: "We can never say never, but we would hope that good sense will prevail because the initial reasons for making the changes are still appropriate.

"Delivering women's and children's services across Greater Manchester continues to be a struggle and the basis of why Bolton was chosen as a super-centre still stands."

To register your views on the review email irp@northwest.nhs.uk or phone 01612372901.