BASILDON Hospital is getting £2.5million from the Government to help ease pressure on its A&E department this winter.
The funding boost was announced yesterday in the Commons by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt as part of a £500million package of improvements to hospitals across the country.
Basildon was chosen for the handout along with 53 other hospital trusts, after ensuring 75 per cent of its workforce would be vaccinated against flu this winter so as not to pass on the virus to patients. Hospital bosses have already got planning permission to open a 28- bed ward at the site to help cope with A&E patients as well as recruiting extra nurses.
A hospital spokesman said: “The hospital welcomes the £2.5million emergency funding for this winter.
“It will be used to contribute to the cost of opening additional beds, including a new 28-bed dedicated respiratory ward and additional nursing posts in A&E.”
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