Dr Tony Falconer: close small maternity units Any hospital with fewer than 6,000 births a year, could be at risk. The idea has been mooted before but political opposition from MPs keen to win votes by "saving" their local maternity unit has made any changes very difficult. Dr Falconer told the Observer: "Above the politics of it, the big conurbations are the places that fit more easily with reconfiguration." In Manchester four hospitals lost their obstetric units after a review in 2006 which resulted in Hazel Blears arguing against the changes. Dr Falconer added that shutting units would cause "outcry." A Department of Health spokesman said: "We have always been clear that service reconfigurations are clinically led locally, and must meet four tests. They must be led by local clinical commissioners; respond to strong patient and public engagement including with local authorities; they must show evidence of clear clinical benefit; and they must meet current and prospective requirements for patient choice. Local health care organisations, doctors, nurses and other health professionals, with their knowledge of the patients they serve, are best placed to decide what services they need for patients in their area.