PCTs receive multi-million pound investment

Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are to receive a 30 per cent boost to their budget for new buildings and equipment under a government package worth 382 million pounds, which also includes 60 million pounds to modernise dental surgeries.

Announcing the investment decision today, health minister Andy Burnham said the health service would welcome the additional funds, which could be used to update buildings, land and equipment. Decisions about how best to use the money will be taken by individual PCTs.

Mr Burnham said the move would help the NHS deliver better services to patients “for years to come”. In addition, he noted that by divesting power to local trusts to distribute the money, the government is “ensuring that the needs of patients are put first”.

Claiming that infrastructure investment is the “future” of Britain’s health service, Mr Burnham said: “We are making huge changes to the NHS, reforming the system and providing more convenient care, closer to patients’ homes.”

In a separate announcement, the Department of Health recently revealed plans to boost community hospitals with 750 million pounds of investment over the next five years. The funding announced today by the department comes in addition to this support.