IT will cost hundreds of millions of pounds to implement a review into the future of Bedford Hospital.
The Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) – which will decide how the three hospitals work together in the future and could see frontline services axed – was launched after two previous multi-million pound studies failed.
Draft plans now show commissioners estimate reforms would cost £167.4m to deliver.
A British Medical Association (BMA) study has found £9.5bn will be needed to fund the 44 STPs nationwide.
Dr Ian Hume BMA Eastern regional chairman said: “With NHS budgets being severely strained, funding from capital budgets are often used to prop up day to day running costs.