Hospitals shake-up backlash

Campaigners from across Greater Manchester will gather for a conference on Saturday to oppose the NHS “Healthier Together” plans.

The revolutionary reorganisation of Greater Manchester’s hospital services has been backed following a judicial review, but campaigners continue to oppose the plans, which they believe will mean huge cuts and downgrades.

The conference is at Manchester Central Methodist Hall in Oldham Street from 10.30am.

under the plan the Royal Oldham Hospital will become a specialist site alongside three others, Rochdale Infirmary, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury and North Manchester General Hospital, with a shared medical staff. The local hospital would also one of four hospitals specialising in emergency medicine and abdominal surgery.

The naming of Stockport’s Stepping Hill Hospital as the fourth specialist site led to the appeal for judicial review by Wythenshawe Hospital, which campaigned to be chosen instead.