Whanganui District Health Board member Michael Laws says Whanganui hospital management did not do a good enough job in arguing their case on a new maternity proposal.
A decision by the board to proceed with a plan for public consultation for all specialist maternity care to be concentrated at Palmerston North Hospital was due on Friday.
But the board has asked for more details on what the impact would have on the community, details on travel allowances and an independent peer-review of the changes.
Mr Laws says the reason the proposal was unsuccessful was because there was not enough proof that the change would benefit women, children and the community.
He says the hospital will have to go back to the drawing board if it is not able to provide good enough information in the two-week deadline.
