AN extra £1.7 million has been given to Wigan and Bolton Health Authority to make up for "decades of neglect", Health Minister Alan Milburn claimed today.
The cash windfall is on top of an above average budget allocation for the local health authority.
The announcement means Wigan and Bolton have an extra £38.7 million to spend .
Mr Milburn said: "After years of neglect, the NHS is now getting the sustained investment it needs.
"This year, over £3 billion of extra money is going to health authorities to support the implementation of the NHS plan. In total, we will be spending over £37 billion."
He said the extra cash will go towards frontline services in Bolton and Wigan to improve care for patients.
The budget for the area is £446,516,000 -- a 9 per cent increase on last year.
In real terms, after considering inflation and other market factors, the extra cash is just a 6 per cent increase, according to health experts the NHS Executive.
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