WORK on a £14million improvement scheme to Burnley General Hospital is set to be completed by Monday.

Phase Four, which began in 1996, has involved upgrading the women's health unit, providing new surgical facilities for orthopaedic treatments and provision of a new medical unit at the hospital, a new day care surgical unit and two new operating theatres.

Health chiefs are already planning Phase Five which will overhaul medical provision, demolish the workhouse buildings and create five 28-bed wards.

And last month hospital bosses spoke of the boost provided by a new £1million ward to provide extra beds for trust patients this coming winter.

Ward 5 will provide 28 extra medical beds in time for when hospital admissions traditionally increase.

The development will provide, in addition to the beds, an extension to Ward 1 which will link the new building to the existing hospital.

Work has already begun on the new ward and is expected to be completed by the middle of October, with the beds fully operational by the beginning of November.

The cost of the development is being funded from the trust's capital development programme and is in addition to the recent £20million plans announced earlier this year.

Hospital bosses said the new ward would help them tackle the problem of cancelled operations and keep waiting times to a minimum.

Today Burnley Health Care NHS Trust chief executive David Chew said he was delighted at the completion of the phase four development.

He added: "I am pleased that this landmark development will soon be completed. Considerable credit goes to all staff, design and consultation and construction companies for the highly professional way the work has been completed."