NHS bosses who ditched plans to build a new mental health hospital at Hapton have come under fire for spending more than £830,000 on training consultants.

Earlier this year, the Lancashire Telegraph revealed that Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust had scrapped £35million proposals to build a replacement unit for East Lancashire on former industrial land at Pollard Moor.

The move came after a ‘value for money’ review, following which trust chiefs opted to refurbish the Hillview and Pendleview units at Royal Blackburn Hospital site and close mental health wards at Burnley General Hospital.

Now, a Freedom of Information Act request has shown that Lancashire Care is spending more than £830,000 on an ‘appreciative leadership course’ for managers.

Last year the trust had to make £11million savings and a similar target is believed to have been set for this year.

Tim Ellis, Unison health regional organiser, said: “There are major concerns about this level of spend on training consultants.

“The NHS is being forced by the coalition Government to sustain the highest level of cuts since its foundation.

"This will inevitably, and detrimentally, affect local health care provision.

“We see this in the apparent abandonment of local mental health provision at Hapton and the planned ward closures across the trust.

"The public need local health provision, not huge-scale cuts, and not money frittered away on consultants.”

The £983,000 contract was awarded to Glasgow-based Fiona McNeil Associates.

The company describes itself as a ‘people development consultancy’.

A Lancashire Care spokesman said the contract was part of its organisational development strategy and had been awarded to the company following a full procurement exercise.

The spokesman added: “The trust has invested in an appreciative leadership programme to provide over 600 front-line leaders, from all professions, with skills to help improve quality and provide efficient services.

“This is an important part of the trust’s capability and capacity to continue to improve services.

"It is equally important that during this time of financial pressure, we continue to invest in our staff to maintain quality, and skill staff up for the future.