ONCE again the Southampton University Hospitals Trust has mismanaged our vital health services, this time the New Forest birthing centres (Daily Echo, November 29). It has acted with breathtaking deceit to obscure their true intent until the final decision to close them all was announced. This is a black day for mothers having their babies in this area.

The trust's consultation was a clever sham; they did not even have the bottle to hold a proper public meeting, because they knew that public anger would reap too much adverse publicity.

The head of midwifery told New Forest Council members last month that "All was in the public interest'' and "transparent'' (ie open). How wrong! The issue was pre-decided against massive public opposition, and is solely to save money. Money wasted by an inept bureaucracy.

The shortage of midwives is largely due to poor professional support and management, and many staff in the present birthing units do not wish to bail out a badly managed large unit.

The five month gap in the provision of services is unnecessary and a scandal. In fact, the whole decision is a disgrace, as proven needs for local birthing centres has been dismissed.

This is our NHS; paid for with our money, and yet our reasonable views are completely ignored by smug, inefficient, overpaid management.

I wonder if they will take full accountability when women can't or won't get to skilled maternity care in time, and tragedy results? Will their paltry penny-pinching justify the possible loss of a mother or baby?

SARAH ROCH, retired head of midwifery education, Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton.