THE boss of the Royal Bolton Hospital is to be the main speaker at a conference because of the hospital's "lean thinking".

Ten months ago, the hospital became one of only six in the world - and the only one in Britain - to introduce the idea to reduce delays.

Since then, paperwork has been cut at the hospital and patients are discharged more rapidly.

Chief executive David Fillingham will be the main speaker at the conference in Manchester from October 31 until November 2, as the Royal Bolton is the UK's flagship hospital for "lean healthcare" improvements.

Mortality rates at the hospital have also been cut by a third after services were redesigned around the needs of the patients, instead of the convenience of the staff.Lean thinking tracks people from the moment they enter hospital until they leave to make sure they are treated in the most efficient way.

Mr Fillingham said: "When we started out, some people were very sceptical, but I've never seen anything that energises staff in this way."

The conference at Manchester United football Club and is being hosted by the Manufacturing Institute, will show how effective lean thinking is in the USA and the UK.

Since the introduction of lean thinking at the Royal Bolton, the length of time it takes a patient to get from accident and emergency to the operating theatre has been reduced by 38 per cent.

Paper work has been cut by 42 per cent and the total time patients spend in the hospital has been slashed by 32 per cent.