The Manchester Evening News is calling on the NHS to plug the £1.5m funding gap needed by the city’s Christie Hospital.

Doctors have warned that without the money waiting lists for life-saving chemotherapy will have to be set up, with patients being forced to wait for up to six weeks for treatment.

And the head of chemotherapy at the world-renowned hospital, Prof Robert Hawkins, has said the delays could lead to people dying.

Ahead of crunch negotiations between the Bolton primary care trust – which holds the purse strings in the negotiations – and the Greater Manchester strategic health authority and Christie Hospital, the paper set up a billboard, which urged: “Give Christie the cash it needs.”

Reporter Rebecca Smith also handed dossiers of the MEN’s coverage of the hospital crisis to people entering the talks.

More than 2,000 readers have written to Bolton primary care trust boss Dr Kevin Snee to ask for money for the hospital after the paper asked them to show their support.

Editor Paul Horrocks started the ball rolling by penning the first letter.

Back to the campaigns index

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail [email protected]