Thousands of Aintree hospital patients will have to travel to Broadgreen hospital for surgery, if NHS plans get the go-ahead.
More than 3,000 people a year have planned operations at the orthopaedics unit in Fazakerley , such as hip and knee replacements.
But health chiefs are planning to merge specialists in bones, muscles and nerves into one team working across the Aintree, Broadgreen and Royal hospital sites.
Planned operations would almost all take place at Broadgreen, while unplanned, urgent surgery for people who suffer injures from car accidents or falls would happen at Aintree, even if the Royal is closer.
They say the move could “pave the way” for a merger of the three hospitals, an idea revealed last year that could prove hugely controversial but help save money.
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NHS bosses say people could still walk into the Royal A&E with urgent, orthopaedic injuries, but could face being transferred to Aintree for operations.
Full story in the Liverpool Echo, 27 June 2017