BOLTON'S politicians are calling on the Government to rethink plans to privatise a range of services currently provided at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Regional health bosses have announced proposals to take away from the hospital initial outpatient tests in ear, nose and throat, general surgery, orthopaedics, urology and gynaecology.

The tests would take place in new Clinical Assessment and Treatment Services (CATS) centres.

Health chiefs say this would reduce waiting times.

But the move could result in an annual loss of £3.7 million from the hospital's budget and up to 130 jobs could go.

Now David Crausby, MP for Bolton North-east, has tabled an early-day motion in parliament, demanding the Government re-examine the plans and keep services within the NHS.

Mr Crausby said: "I'm calling on the Government to re-examine the plans for CATS and the role of the private sector and to ensure that CATS is run through the NHS with the private sector only being used to take out excess capacity from the NHS; as opposed to being provided with guarantees over throughput of patients."

The MP for Bolton South-east, Dr Brian Iddon, has approached Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt directly to call for the services to remain at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

He has signed Mr Crausby's early day motion.

Dr Iddon says he has been reassured the new CATS centres will reduce waiting times for patients and cut out unnecessary hospital appointments.

He said: "The whole concept is to speed up the patient journey, which I cannot disagree with, but I would prefer it if these services were within the NHS.

"We're all working together to get the best deal for the patient, without massive loss of jobs and David Fillingham, the hospital's chief executive, has said he will do all he can to find alternative jobs for those who do lose them."