SERVICE levels at four hospitals in Greater Manchester - including Fairfield Hospital, Bury - are no longer viable, according to a report on Wednesday.
The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust says which runs the hospitals says resources at the sites - in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester - are "overstretched" reports BBC Online
At Fairfield Hospital, for example, the special care baby unit has shut 11 times in as many weeks.
The trust already has debts of £10m and is expected to cut up to 170 jobs.
Bosses are eager to quash rumours the hospitals in Bury and Rochdale are to be closed or downgraded.
Many of the pressures the hospitals faces are common across the UK.
Trust bosses are now considering how to reorganise services.
It is not currently clear what the main changes will be.
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