A SERVICE which supports Boltonians recovering from serious brain injuries and strokes is on the move.

Around 20 patients a year from the town are treated at the neuro-rehabilitation unit in Leigh.

However, the Taylor unit based in Leigh Infirmary and run by Wigan and Leigh (WWL) NHS Foundation Trust is being axed and transferred to Trafford General Hospital next year.

NHS Bolton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had been working with NHS Wigan Borough Clinical Commissioning Group to find a suitable provider for the service which treats people both from Wigan and Bolton.

Bolton CCG chief officer Su Long said: “It is a very specialist rehabilitation service for people who will be inpatients for quite a while, around 20 people a year from Bolton might use it.

“Because WWL felt it couldn’t deliver the service anymore our job was to find a quality service for those people.

“Both Bury and Trafford put forward proposals, but the one with the highest quality and most accessible was the Trafford site.

“Depending on what part of Bolton you live in, moving to a new site could be better for some family visitors and worse for others.

“It will be in a much better facility, it has been in a very old building, and anyone who has difficulties with their mobility are better catered for in more modern buildings. We do expect the new site to provide a very good outcome of care.”

The changes follow a decision by the board of WWL to stop providing the service from March next year after failing to meet Greater Manchester standards.

A patient who has used the service and a consultant, as well as GPs from Bolton and Wigan, have been involved in setting the criteria and reviewing the potential locations for a new provider.

There are currently 11 patients receiving care from Wigan and Bolton and it is hoped to have the majority of them discharged prior to March 2018.

Patients still in the unit at that stage and those admitted between now and the end of March next year will have individual transfer plans set up to help the move.

Plans are in also place to support staff transferring from Leigh to Trafford and equipment from the Taylor Unit will also be transferred when the new unit opens.

Bolton CCG is now looking at providing information and support to help relatives travelling by public transport when they visit patients.