A NEW children's hospital costing more than £20 million has won the support of Bolton health bosses, even though there are concerns about the cost.

The new hospital will combine specialist children's care currently provided by the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and Booth Hall Hospital, which will both close.

The Royal Eye Hospital, St Mary's Hospital and most of Manchester Royal Infirmary will also be closed and relocated on to the same site.

The decision to build the hospital was made in 1997 after it was agreed staff and resources needed to be in one place and ageing buildings were becoming too expensive to run.

Adults and children from Bolton who need specialist treatment at these hospitals will, from 2008, receive treatment at the new Manchester hospital.

But Bolton Primary Care Trust board members expressed concerns over the future costs of the project.

The hospital will cost £23.2 million to build and all 14 PCT's in Greater Manchester are contributing to the cost annually up until 2008. Bolton PCT has put forward £85,000 towards building costs so far and are being asked for £795,000 every year towards the running of the hospital but there are concerns the money will spiral out of control.

Non-executive director Jane Monks said: "Bolton patients will benefit but I am concerned that we are potentially signing away a blank cheque. This might be at a phenomenal and extensive cost in the long run."

Costs to build the hospital have been reduced by 9.5 million as the Central Manchester Trust, who are heading the project, has implemented cost-savings, such as reducing the scheme by 150 beds.

John Scampian, director of finance, information, capital and planning at the Central Manchester Trust, said: "Patients could be going to Birmingham or Leeds if this does not happen. We will be asking for more money for this but there are stringent measures in place to ensure we do not waste any money. There is a very strict review process to make sure we do not ask for a penny more than we actually need."

Chair of the PCT Pam Senior said: "We will be keeping a very close eye on this because of the huge implications on the people of Bolton."

Over the last year more than 12,000 people from Bolton were treated, as inpatients and outpatients, at the hospitals.

Non-executive director Andrew Taylor said: "We need to be assured that, if targets are not achieved, they do not fall back onto the PCT. We have had two difficult years and we have to look at the risks because it is money we desperately want to spend in Bolton. This is reducing the amount of money for people in Bolton."