HUNDREDS of extra patients are set to have publicly funded private care in a bid to slash the Royal Bolton Hospital's waiting list.

People waiting for treatment for cataract and bone problems will be transferred to hospitals in Chorley, Southport and Salford.

And the hospital's bill for these transfers is likely to exceed a staggering £140,000.

Many doctors reacted with fury when just six months ago hospital chiefs announced they were to send a group of 300 people into the private sector.

The current situation -- which involves a further 200 people -- is sure to re-spark accusations that health chiefs are going along with a political game ahead of next year's expected General Election.

Further referrals have not been ruled out although the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority has pledged to expand and invest in facilities at the Royal Bolton Hospital. Ann Schenk, director of service development at the authority, said: "The hospital has to reach its waiting list target and our first reaction is always to see what we can do in-house.

"But to reduce the waiting times for patients we sometimes have to look to the private sector as a short term measure."

Some estimates have suggested that Wigan and Bolton Health Authority will have to pay between £700 and £1,000 for each patient transferred to Chorley's Euxton Hall, Ren Acres in Southport or Salford's Oakland.

But Mrs Schenk said the latest move had been forced upon the trust.

Early next year the Royal Bolton Hospital's ophthalmology operating theatre will be temporarily decommisioned for six weeks while the finishing touches are put to a new, second theatre.

Mrs Schenk told the BEN that without cover during this period, patients would have to wait even longer for operations.

But she also admitted that the hospital had to meet its targets or risk losing a Government bonus.

She pointed to the future, however, adding: "In the long term we are looking to expand our operations at the hospital and that will mean investing the money we have previously used to send people into private care into better facilities in Bolton.

"At the moment we can't do that because we don't have enough theatre space or enough human resources.

"To make one appointment would cost the hospital around £500,000 but it is something we are looking at."

The waiting list problem spreads right across the hospital, but eye and bone patients have been chosen because they are the easiest to be transferred.

Those being offered their operation under private care have been on the waiting list for more than 13 weeks.

The trust has handed the contract to nationwide private care firm Community Hospitals Plc.