HEALTH chiefs and politicians have clashed over radical proposals to transform hospital care.

The Healthier Together consultation was dubbed “dishonest” by MP Graham Stringer during a public debate about the proposals in Manchester on Wednesday night.

The reforms could see the Royal Bolton Hospital become one five “super hospitals” across the region.

Mr Stringer claimed the decision on specialist hospital sites had already been made and said the consultation only paid “lip service” to official procedure.

The MP for Blackley and Broughton said: “I have been opposed to the way the consultation has gone on.

“I am not going to argue there’s a problem with how healthcare is provided in Greater Manchester. But, looking at this document, can people genuinely give their view on how they see the future of the health service? I think the answer is glaringly no.”

More than 40 members of the public attended the meeting at Manchester University.

Doctors hit back at the criticism, claiming the redesign was necessary to reduce the variation in standards across the region’s hospitals.

Dr Ranjit Gill, GP and clinical accountable officer at NHS Stockport CCG, said the consultation was rooted in clinical facts and some “uncomfortable truths”.

Dr Gill also said to do nothing was not an option financially.

He said: “There is a gap between the money we are going to have and the money needed. If we do nothing, in five years’ time in Greater Manchester there will be a gap of about £1 billion. This is a great deal of money.”

“It is about emergency care in A&E, emergency major surgery and elective major surgery. The problem we have is that our specialist consultants are spread too thinly across the 10 hospitals, which is why the care in inconsistent and variable.”

Healthier Together chiefs plan to combine medical teams across all hospitals.

They say the changes could save up to 1,500 lives over five years.

Bolton is vying with Wigan to become one of the specialist sites in the north of Greater Manchester.

To read the consultation document and complete the questionnaire, visit the website healthier togethergm.nhs.uk.