A FUNDING row between health care bosses could hamper the revival of the Royal Bolton Hospital.

The hospital had hoped to be taken out of "breach" by health watchdog Monitor, after it was criticised in 2012 over financial discrepancies.

Following a raft of efficiency savings, trust bosses say they were set to end this year in surplus of £1.6 million.

The Bolton News understands the row is over the allocation of £2 million to the hospital, which chiefs say is necessary to cope with increasing demand on services, but Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) — which commissions services at the hospital — has argued is not needed.

Without the £2 million funding from the CCG the trust would have a deficit of £400,000, and not have reached Monitor’s targets for financial viability.

Additionally, Monitor will not support the Royal Bolton Hospital’s bid for a further £30 million cash boost from the Department for Health, which would go towards improving its busy A&E department and creaking IT systems.

Chairman David Wakefield told members of the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust that they are set to meet with the CCG to try to strike up a deal before their meeting with Monitor in December.

He said: “We have applied to come out of breach with Monitor and we are asking them to lift the enforcement.

“For them to consider whether they can support our request for finance, so that is the good news.

“We have been on a long journey – but there is a dark cloud on the horizon.

“Activity has been up, and that has caused some difficulties particularly for the health economy, as there is only so much money.”

Bolton CCG chief officer Su Long said the organisation had to make sure there was value for money for the services.

He said: “It is the CCG’s responsibility to deliver high quality health services that meet the needs of Bolton people.

“We can only achieve this in these challenging times for the NHS by working well with partners like Bolton foundation trust to ensure our limited funding is used in the most effective and appropriate way.

“As a result of the financial pressure on the health economy and the trust's request for more funding, we have taken up an offer from NHS England to guide us as we continue to work with Bolton foundation trust.”