A CONTROVERSIAL shake-up at Southend’s neonatal unit looks set to be given the final go-ahead despite fears it will cause “further detriment” to high-risk pregnancies and unstable newborns.

Southend Council's people scrutiny committee has been asked to approve plans to “re-designate” Southend Hospital’s level two neonatal unit, which is able to care for babies from 27 weeks gestation, to a level one special care unit caring for babies from 32 weeks.

The Mid and South Essex NHS Trust says it will implement the proposed change from February 1, despite concerns the change will leave families with long journeys to Basildon or Broomfield to visit their babies.

The move has been repeatedly branded a “downgrade” by campaigners but trust bosses have insisted it is a “redesignation” of services.

A spokesman for the Save Southend NHS campaign group claims the plan was a “symptom of poor management” for which the public would “bear the brunt”.

They said: “The result will be pregnant women from Southend will have to travel if considered a high-risk delivery and also newborn, extremely ill and unstable babies will have to be transferred, causing further detriment to both patient groups.”

Former councillor and Southend resident Tricia Cowdrey has fought the plans and called instead for a full consultation with residents, detailed modelling and “much clearer” information.

She said: “I remain very concerned for those parents with very poorly newborns who may be separated from them while they are being treated in either Basildon or Chelmsford.

“The numbers may be small but the impact on the whole family is immense.”

The trust, which manages Southend as well as Basildon and Broomfield hospitals, claims the change will enable better use of the trust’s specialised staff and cut shocking waiting times for children needing medical and surgical treatment across the region.

It has been operating a system for the past 20 months where babies born between 27 and 32 weeks are transferred to Basildon or Broomfield, and says there were no poor outcomes for any of the families.

The committee will make a decision when it meets on Tuesday.