WARRINGTON Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department is to get a further cash boost from the Government.

The cash is part of the £80 million new money for health announced by Chancellor Gordon Brown in last week's budget. This is the second grant for the department in recent weeks. In February, the GUARDIAN revealed that it is to get £50,000 cash to set up a telemedicine video link with Halton Hospital.

In response to a question in the Commons from Warrington South MP Helen Southworth, Health Minister Frank Dobson confirmed that Warrington is to receive a large cut of the cash.

He said: "The proposals for improvements to A&E services at Warrington Hospital are among the biggest of the projects that will be covered by my announcement."

Helen says she is was pleased to hear Mr Dobson's response.

"Since the announcement in the budget that this extra money was being released, I've been chasing hard to get some of it for Warrington," she said.

"I'm delighted that the town is getting this cash. The hospital provides A&E for the entire North Cheshire region and yet it has no proper medical assessment unit, I've joined the staff at the hospital on the weekend night shift to see the problems at first hand. Our nurses and doctors are struggling to cope."

It is likely to be a couple of weeks before definite details of which Trusts will benefit are announced.

Norman Banner, Chairman of Warrington Hospital NHS Trust, said: "We would naturally welcome any money which would help us to improve the quality of services we offer to our patients.

"Our facilities for the admission of acutely ill medical patients could be much improved and we look forwards to investing any money we may receive in this area."

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