PLANS to relocate the borough's accident and emergency department from Bury General to Fairfield Hospital are to receive a further £250,000 cash boost.
Earlier in the year, the Government invested £500,000 in the £1.7 million scheme.
And this week, Health Minister Frank Dobson announced details of a further cash boost as part of a £115 million investment in more than 149 A and E departments nationwide.
Mr Dobson said the extra funding will help to improve services by providing modern equipment, more observation wards and admission units to reduce the waiting time in A and E departments.
The new departments will also have better security and improved facilities.
The relocation of Bury's A and E department is part of a larger £24 million scheme to centralise the borough's hospital services on one super site at Fairfield Hospital on Rochdale Old Road. Mr Phillip Bacon, chief executive of Bury Health Care NHS Trust, which is responsible for running local hospitals, welcomed the extra cash.
He said: "I am very pleased with the news. The extra money is very valuable in helping us move forward and will enable the trust to provide an A and E department in line with modern thinking.
"The A and E department is very much at the front entry of emergency services, and this money will help us to provide a very modern casualty department over the next 18 months."
Bury North MP, David Chaytor, was also delighted with the news. He said: "It is further evidence that the Government is taking note of the historic under-funding of the health service in Bury."
He added: "The money will ensure that the move of the A and E department will provide an efficient service. And the people of Bury can look forward to having one of the most up to date casualty departments in the whole country."
The Government is also investing £50,000 to fund additional security equipment in North Manchester General Hospital's A and E department.
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