The Leader of St Helens Council Brian Spencer has written to the Health Secretary Andy Burnham in a bid to save the region's two first class burns units.
The move follows suggestions that figures used to justify the possible downgrading of the units may be totally flawed.
The units at Whiston Hospital and Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital have been left off a shortlist, missing out on becoming ‘supra’ centres.
This means that the most severely burnt patients face a journey hike to Manchester or even Wakefield 70 miles away for often life-saving treatment.
Councillor Spencer says: “Andy Burnham is the Leigh MP so must know how vital the work of the burns units are.
"But it is not just this that is an area of very deep concern. The move will result in both centres being downgraded, losing money. This could put a question mark over the viability of the hospitals."
The Northern Burn Care Network carried out the review and the National Specialised Commissioning Group have put back a meeting to September to look at the proposals. It will then go to local Primary Care Trusts.
Added Councillor Spencer: "I understand that Andy Burnham has agreed to investigate figures which increasingly appear to be wrong. Both Whiston and Alder Hey have a magnificent record and are renowned the world over. It seems incredible that such a move is even on the cards.”
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