ST HELENS and Knowsley Health Authority has received its biggest increase in Government spending for the last five years following an announcement by Health Minister Frank Dobson.

The boost, which will see £162.218 million ploughed into the funds - an increase of £3.495 million - is part of an extra £1 billion funding announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in July's Budget and all 16 health authorities in the North West will benefit.

The extra funds will be available from April, 1998 but authorities have been notified early to give them a chance to plan how to allocate the additional money and Mr Dobson added that it should help to treat more patients and reduce waiting times.

A spokesman for St Helens and Knowsley Health told the Star: "The increase is very pleasing, coming as it does, at a time when we already have a number of developments underway which will greatly benefit from extra funding. These include Knowsley House, an extension of the Peasley Cross wing of St Helens Hospital which offers care for the elderly and mentally ill patients. An extension wing of the Renal-Dialysis Unit is also underway and we are looking to invest in additional paediatric care facilities for Alder Hey Hospital. In addition, we may also be able to use the funds for any new technologies and drugs which have come on the market."

The news could not have come at a better time for the North West as it follows another health allocation of £22.5 million to help local hospitals cope with an anticipated surge in emergency admissions over the busy winter months.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.