CONTROVERSIAL portable huts installed on the roof of Fairfield General Hospital to treat the sick have been given a clean bill of health by patients and staff.

Patients have now moved into the acute medical ward.

The first one was Mrs Carey Weinberg (41) from Unsworth, who received a card and flowers on her arrival.

She said: "The ward is excellent. I can't fault it at all. The staff are brilliant and there is an informal friendly atmosphere. I feel as if I have been pampered."

Fellow patient, Mrs Christine Boot (40) from Summerseat Drive, Bury, added: "The ward is very bright and spacious and warm. It is very modern."

The installation of the prefabricated structure, previously used by the Army as a medical centre, was fiercely criticised when it was being put in to place in early October. It was described as a "farce" by one senior nurse. But Mrs Pamela McKee, the hospital's director of planning, said: "I could understand people's concerns. But many do not know what we can achieve with modern technology."

She added: "I was saddened at the negative publicity received, but whatever we said it wouldn't have been believed at the time. Now people can see for themselves that the new ward was no cause for concern."

The units still needed to be painted on the outside to blend in with the rest of the building.

The temporary ward, situated on the roof adjacent to the hospital's day case unit, was funded by the Greater Manchester Health Authorities at a cost of £294,000 as part of a co-ordinated contingency plan to cope with demand for acute care over the winter period.

Mr Philip Bacon, chief executive of Bury Health Care NHS Trust, said: "There has been an increased demand for hospital beds since Christmas across the region and Bury has been able to assist in taking some emergency patients from neighbouring areas. A great deal of effort has been made to ensure that the Trust can cope effectively with emergency demands while at the same time making good progress towards the achievement of waiting list targets for routine surgery. The Trust board was pleased that such a substantial sum of money was made available to make this initiative possible."

The ward is funded up until the end of March. But the Trust are optimistic that funding will be made available to keep the ward operational after that date.

Mrs Angela Abbott, the Trust's nurse director, said: "Nursing staff have been closely involved in the design of the ward and they are delighted with the facilities it offer to support patient care.

"The Trust are pleased to have been able to recruit additional nurses to staff the ward and they are looking forward to the opportunity of treating the acutely ill medical patients who will be accommodated there."