FAMILY doctors fear long waiting lists for X-rays at Fairfield General Hospital are putting patients at risk.

Dr Peter Thomas told a meeting of Bury South Primary Care Group that his practice was experiencing major problems.

Health bosses at Fairfield Hospital admitted that they were having "difficulties" with the X-ray service but that they would be resolved in the new year.

He said patients were having to wait two to three weeks for appointments, which in some cases had been cancelled, and then a further four to five weeks for the results.

Other board members said they were experiencing similar problems and agreed it posed a "serious risk to patients".

Dr Thomas was writing to health bosses at Fairfield Hospital on behalf of the board about their concerns, stating that the transitional period of the merger of Bury General with Fairfield was not an acceptable reason for the problems.

Chief executive of Bury Health Care NHS Trust, Philip Bacon, insisted that the problems had been caused by the transfer of services from Bury General Hospital.

He said: "We have had problems that have led to a slight increase in waiting lists. But we are taking immediate action to resolve those difficulties and bring down waiting lists.

"The X-ray equipment we have now is state-of-the art and we have a retired consultant starting in January as well as two additional consultants."