HEALTH chiefs in Bolton welcomed a radical five year plan calling for an overhaul of the NHS.

The Five Year Forward Plan — unveiled by six national bodies yesterday — highlighted a financial shortfall in the NHS of £30 billion by 2020.

It said changes, such as GP practices offering hospital services, would help to plug a large chunk of the gap.

But national health chiefs said the NHS would still need above inflation rises of 1.5 per cent over the coming years.

Bolton health bosses praised the new models put forward by the chief of NHS England.

Dr Jackie Bene, chief executive at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Certainly more money for the NHS is needed, as although we have worked hard at the trust to reduce our previous deficit, we, like other trusts, are going to find the future financially challenging.

“In terms of looking at models where GPs and hospital clinicians work together to provide care closer to home for patients, in Bolton we are already well on with this.”

Reducing obesity, smoking and alcohol consumption was central to the report — as well as encouraging NHS staff to set a healthy example.

Su Long, chief officer of Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group, added: “In Bolton, the CCG is already working with partners to ensure that local health services are designed to best meet the needs of our population.

“It is also encouraging that the plan includes further investment in prevention and primary care, as this fits closely with our local strategies and aims for the coming years.”

The Healthier Together review — a radical shake-up of hospital services in Greater Manchester — is in line with the five year plan.

Healthier Together programme director Alex Heritage said: “The five year plan recognises the pressure in the NHS system that Healthier Together highlighted in our case for change. We welcome the national plans and some of the recommended changes to break down barriers between GPs and hospitals are already well under way locally.”