A £95,000 cash boost for nearby hospitals is set to help heal Newton's broken bones.

Patients at Newton Community Hospital's orthopaedic department will benefit from new surgical equipment, thanks to a Government windfall aimed at reducing waiting times.

The money, part of a £2.9 million package for hospitals throughout the north west, will also be used to improve orthopaedic facilities at Whiston Hospital and St Helens General Hospital.

A spokeswoman for St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust said: "This will improve facilities, improve waiting times for surgery and help us provide full patient care. It's not as much as we'd hoped for, but everything is welcome!"

The boost comes from the Government's NHS Modernisation Fund and has been earmarked for the next financial year.

Announcing the news, Health Minister John Denham said: "This investment will spread the latest technology around the NHS. Patients will find waiting times reduced as more can be treated in day surgery rather than staying overnight."

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