SENIOR hospital consultants have hit back at criticisms about unacceptable waiting times at the new Royal Bolton Hospital's accident and emergency department.

They say the department is already under-staffed.

And they have appealed for an urgent cash injection from Wigan and Bolton Health Authority.

That money must be found. In a damning indictment of the Authority's funding, the consultants say that less money is allocated to the A and E service in Bolton than almost any other purchaser in the North-west.

The health authority's chief executive, Mike Ruane, insists it will take time to gather and assess detailed information before an informed decision can be made.

But the consultants claim they have supplied "overwhelming evidence" for the need for more staff during the last two years.

It is not appropriate to play the waiting game. The money for extra staff must be found.

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