A RADICAL health service overhaul could see Leigh becoming a specialist centre for rehabilitation and intermediate care.

Proposals to re-organise Wigan and Leigh's five hospitals include Leigh Infirmary being transformed into a centre for neurological and stroke rehabilitation services, intermediate care, with minor injuries and day surgery facilities also being provided.

People are being invited to look at proposals and let Wigan and Bolton Health Authority know what they think before the March 5 consultation deadline.

Health chiefs have been forced to think of ways to re-align current services due a range of factors, including increasing emergency pressures and standards, a recent NHS Trust merger and difficulties in training junior doctors.

Under the proposals, patients would receive emergency care at Wigan Infirmary but would then move to specialist centres based in other hospitals throughout the borough for sub-acute and rehabilitation care.

Leigh Infirmary would be a centre for intermediate care and rehabilitation as well as neuro and stroke rehabilitation.

The services would be expanded to serve Bolton patients and two further nurse and therapy-led facilities for intermediate care and elderly rehabilitation would be established.

Whelley Hospital would specialise in sub-acute medicine and care of the elderly, while Wrightington Hospital would provide an orthopaedic and surgical rehabilitation ward.

This summer, building work will start at Wigan Infirmary on a £25 million development so the site can incorporate services provided at Billinge Hospital.

Letters and other written comments about the proposals should be sent Mrs Eve Crabtree, Deputy Director of Service Strategy, Wigan and Bolton Health Authority, Bryan House, Standishgate, Wigan, WN1 1AH, or e-mailed to eve. crabtree@wab-ha.nwest.nhs.uk