A COUNCILLOR says she has “grave concerns” about patients and visitors being able to travel to Salford Royal under the new Healthier Together plans.

Cllr Ann Cunliffe, Bolton Council’s cabinet member for public health, said she was worried travelling times from Bolton will make things difficult.

Under the new plans the Royal Bolton will become a 'local hospital' along with Wigan, and will be part of a linked single site with Salford Royal — our nearest specialist 'super hospital'.

This means around three Bolton patients a day will travel to Salford for high-risk emergency operations and stomach and bowel surgery.

Cllr Cunliffe said: “The CCG have made the decision and it is disappointing Bolton has not been chosen.

“I do believe specialist services should be offered, working in partnership with other authorities to ensure the delivery of the best care but I do have grave concerns regarding the travelling times from other areas such as Bolton.”

Bolton North East MP David Crausby has said he will be campaigning to make sure public transport links with Salford Royal are adequate and well publicised.

He said: "I will certainly be campaigning to make sure that public transport links with Salford Royal are adequate and well-publicised — if you are on public transport it can be very difficult to reach a hospital and we have to make sure this is as easy as possible.”

Priority parking, volunteer driver schemes, community transport, travel vouchers, reimbursement and set-tariff policies for taxis, appointment time choices and flexible visiting times are also expected to be introduced as a way of alleviating travel difficulties for patients and visitors.

Healthier Together chiefs say all patients should be able to access a ‘super hospital’ within 45 minutes by car or ambulance and by public transport within 75 minutes.

Health chiefs say the Healthier Together plans, which are expected to be implemented in the next two to three years, will save hundreds of lives each year.

They will see hospitals across the region work together as ‘single sites’, pooling staff, to ensure patients can be seen by a consultant and operated on much more quickly than they are currently.