BLACKPOOL'S Victoria Hospital is about to receive a massive £750,000 cash injection to go towards an additional operating theatre.

The news, announced by Health Minister, John Denham, who outlined a £20 million investment programme from the Modernisation Fund, is designed to cut waiting lists and times.

The investment, available from April, will enable 140 NHS Trusts to implement a total of 160 schemes. Twenty two of these schemes are in the North West, which combined will receive nearly £2.9 million.

Blackpool's grant, the largest windfall of all the schemes in the North West, will go a long way to the total £1.1 million cost of the operating theatre which is due to start being built in April.

The remaining £350,000 will be awarded to the hospital by North West Lancashire Health Authority.

The news was welcomed by the hospital's chief executive David Gill who said: "I was surprised at the amount which our hospital received.

"I thought it may have been divided into smaller amounts to keep more people happy, but we are grateful for the grant."

However, he was concerned that the additional theatre would do nothing to reduce waiting lists and times.

"The provision of the theatre will do nothing. What we need is additional surgeons."

And Mr Gill's prayers may have been answered with news that the hospital has agreed in principle to recruit another surgeon, taking its total to six.

Mr Denham said: "Reducing waiting lists is part and parcel of modernising the health service for the 21st century.

"We are determined to achieve the same high standards throughout the health service. Patients will find waiting times reduced as more can be treated in day surgery rather than staying overnight.

"Waiting lists have already fallen by almost 140,000 since April last year and the £20 million I am announcing is a valuable boost to the efforts being made by NHS hospital staff up and down the country."

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