Pledge to keep hospital cuts to minimum

11:12am Monday 15th January 2007

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HEALTH bosses have vowed to keep cash cuts at the Royal Bolton Hospital to a minimum.

NHS chiefs have announced plans to privatise some medical services in a move that would axe £3.7 million from the hospital's budget and lead to up to 130 job losses.

The majority of outpatient appointments for ear, nose and throat, urology, gynaecology, general surgery and orthopaedics would be handled by a new range of clinics to be set up away from the hospital.

Around 90 per cent of GP referrals would be involved and the changes would affect clinical staff, including doctors and nurses.

Bolton's Primary Care Trust said it was already working with the hospital to minimise the impact of the proposals Mike Maguire, director of commissioning at Bolton Primary Care Trust, said: "We are actively working with the Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust to minimise any financial impact these changes may have on the hospital."

NHS North-west, formerly the Strategic Health Authority, says the switching of GP referrals will reduce waiting times for patients and and help to achieve Government targets.

The change is happening across Greater Manchester and the new clinics - Integrated Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service (ICAT) centres - should be up and running by the end of the year. The PCT believes the move will benefit local patients.

Mr Maguire said: "Our priority is to ensure that local patients get prompt and convenient access to diagnosis, assessment and treatment. We have already demonstrated that this can be achieved in some cases through community based ICATs, and we are committed to shifting more services to the community, as long as this is safe and cost-effective."

It is not yet known where the new clinics will be sited or how they will be staffed.

David Fillingham, chief executive of the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: "I certainly support delivering health services in a new and better way and I think we've built up a good track record in the last two years and are real leaders in innovation. But I'm worried because the hospital isn't being allowed to compete with ICATs."

Bolton West MP Ruth Kelly said: "It's essential we get the implementation of this right to ensure that patients' interests are best served and I will continue to speak to the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt about this.

"The purpose of the centres is to reduce waiting times still further. I am assured by NHS North-west that there will be a consultation after which the model for the local centre will be decided. It is too early to say what the impact on the Royal Bolton Hospital will be, but the impact for patients should be beneficial."