A HEALTH body slammed by Bolton doctors said claims being made about hospital funding were "completely untrue".

Doctors at the Royal Bolton Hospital have claimed the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority does not provide enough funding to meet Government targets.

But the authority has hit back, saying it does not determine how much money each hospital in Greater Manchester gets.

GMSHA chief executive Neil Goodwin said: "There has been suggestion that the GMSHA is depriving Bolton of its fair share of resources for the NHS. This is completely untrue.

"The Strategic Health Authority has always lobbied for more funding across the board for the Greater Manchester NHS and Bolton in particular. We will continue to do so. We hope that Bolton will go from strength to strength in providing an excellent health service."

He added that Bolton had received increased funding of £20.7 million in 2003/4, a rise of 9.98 per cent, and a further £20.4 million in 2004/5, a rise of 9.75 per cent.

The debate follows an Audit Commission report that said waiting list figures at the hospital had been deliberately misreported to meet Government targets.

The hospital said all patients waiting for minor operations last year had been offered dates within the 12-month deadline, when 83 had not.

In the end, all had their operations within the deadline.

A senior manager is still the subject of a disciplinary investigation after the findings, which came to light during a spot-check of the hospital.