By Brian Gomm

LEIGH Infirmary will undergo an extensive upgrade as part of a near £25m building boost announced this week.

By the end of next year the overcrowded out-patient department at Wigan's Royal Albert Edward Infirmary should be rehoused in the old town centre Grammar School.

When that is completed the next stage of a major redevelopment plan will begin with a two-year scheme to update facilities at Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust Leigh and Wigan Infirmary sites.

The go-ahead for the first stage of redevelopment at Wigan Infirmary came with Health Secretary Alan Milburn's announcement of the approval of nationwide hospital building schemes costing more than £350m.

He said: "After decades of under-investment the NHS is now benefiting from the biggest ever hospital building programme which will make a real improvement in services for patients.

"There are still too many patients and staff having to put up with outdated, Victorian buildings in the NHS."

Welcoming the news Lowton councillor Brian Strett, a member of the Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust, said: "We have worked hard for this. It is excellent news.

"It will bring all new A & E facilities to Wigan town centre with easy access for the public, particularly with the public transport proposals we have in place.

"We can expect much higher standards.

"The good news is this will bring day case gynaecological surgery to Leigh Infirmary from Billinge and there will be a big extension at Leigh to cater for this.

"As part of the plans Billinge maternity hospital will close and new facilities will open at Wigan Infirmary. There will be continuous improvement on the wards at Leigh Infirmary and development in the specialist mental health field there."

Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust chief executive Mrs Sheena Cumiskey said: "We are delighted to have received confirmation of approval for the multi-million pound improvements to local health care facilities."

Health chiefs say the development will bring key services such as neonatology, intensive care, obstetrics and gynaecology to one site.

It will also mean the efficient replacement of poor quality, outdated and overcrowded diagnostic and outpatient facilities.