A DOCTOR from Bury has welcomed the teaming up of two Manchester hospitals to lead the country's fight against cancer.

Dr Robert Elles, head of the regional molecular genetics lab at St Mary's Hospital said the partnership between his hospital and the renowned Christie Cancer Care hospital would provide a state-of-the-art service for patients.

The pioneering partnership has been underpinned by government cash of £384,000 and funding from the Christie Against Cancer Century Appeal.

Cash from the NHS Pathology Modernisation Fund will buy specialist equipment to improve and speed up test results allowing more people to be tested. The equipment will be used by Christie's pathology department and the regional genetics service at St Mary's in response to growing demands for tests from those with genetic links to breast, bowel and other cancers. Other benefits will be the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with leukaemia and lymphomas, tests which are not currently available in the North West.

Dr Elles said: "The investment in the partnership is extremely welcome. It will allow us to adopt the latest advances in genetic testing technology to provide faster, more accurate and efficient services for patients. Most importantly, the analytical services will be closely linked to specialist clinical expertise at Christie's and St Mary's."

Gilbert Wieringa, pathology planning and development manager at Christie Hospital added: "It brings conventional pathology and genetic testing together as one service and that is a first for this country.

"Without this new funding it would be five or six years before we could contemplate such a development. It is very exciting. St Mary's are pre-eminent in genetic testing, Christie has the cancer expertise plus, thanks to the centenary appeal, the funds to kick-start the project."

The partnership should be up and running before the end of the year.