WIGAN, Leigh and Wrightington Hospital will not become the region's fourth super hospital, it was revealed last week.

In a crunch Healthier Together meeting held at Manchester Town Hall, bosses from the region's Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) turned down bids from the Wigan, Royal Bolton and Wythenshawe hospitals in favour of Stepping Hill in Stockport.

Wigan, Leigh and Wrightington Hospital will now become a 'local hospital' which will be part of a linked ‘single site’ which will also encompass Bolton — another 'local' hospital — and Salford Royal, which will be the nearest 'super hospital'.

The three single sites will pool medical teams, allowing staff to share expertise between different sites and move patients between hospitals quickly.

While the plans could take up to three years to implement, it will ensure surgeons at the super hospitals can carry out emergency and high-risk operations seven days a week.

Rob Forster, acting chief executive at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust said, “We note and fully accept the decision taken today by the Committees in Common to name Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport as the fourth single service site.

"This means that a few of our very sickest patients who require specialist abdominal surgery each day will have their surgery carried out at Salford Royal.

“The majority of our patients will continue to receive their treatment in our existing hospitals.

"They will also benefit from an increase in the number of consultants and the hours they will be working in our Accident and Emergency Department.

"Our orthopaedic centre of excellence at Wrightington Hospital will continue to deliver the highest standards of orthopaedic care to all our patients.

“Our clinical teams have been collaborating with colleagues in Bolton and Salford to agree how best to implement the single service across our three organisations.

"The implementation of the decision will now commence and we understand this may take up to three years to complete.

"Patients and the public will be further engaged during the implementation.

“We thank our patients, staff and the public of Wigan and Leigh for their support during the Healthier Together consultation.

"The high response to the consultation from Wigan and Leigh residents helped the Trust to put forward a clinically-led response to the Healthier Together team as to how we can work together to achieve improved clinical standards for our patients.”