BOSSES at the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority will use a £35.5 million cash boost to cut waiting lists and try to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and cancer.

The new cash injection for the area was announced by Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn.

Deputy chief executive of Wigan and Bolton Health Authority Tim Bennett said: "We welcome the announcement of additional funding for next year which will allow us to continue the process of modernisation of our local health services."

Mr Bennett said that the health authority would now work with its partners to discuss the detail of how the money will be spent.

He added: "We will now be able to take significant steps forward in areas such as waiting times and the prevention and treatment of cancer and heart disease." Mr Bennett said the cash would also be used to improve services for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and the mentally ill.

Some money is expected to be spent on tackling the problem of the high local rate of infant mortality.

As reported in the BEN, the south of Bolton has one of the highest death rates from heart attacks in the country.

People in Farnworth, Kearsley, Deane, Daubhill and Derby have a third higher risk of dying from a heart attack than the rest of the UK.

A task force of GPs is already looking at ways of persuading people to live a more healthy lifestyle -- cut down on smoking, improve their diet and take more exercise.

Bolton South-east MP Brian Iddon said the cash would mean more drugs and operations for local patients.

He said: "I obviously welcome this announcement. And we have been promised similar increases in the next two years as well.

"Altogether after all that funding the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority should be in significantly better condition than it has been for many years."

Dr Iddon added that he would be continuing to press the Government for separate funds to help address the inequality in funding between Wigan and Bolton and many other area health authorities.

Mr Bennett said: "The extra allocation for Wigan and Bolton is the second highest in the North-west and the eighth highest in the country, reflecting the long standing position of the authority as one of the most underfunded when measured against the Department of Health's target level."

Management at Bolton Hospitals NHS Trust will discuss how much of the extra cash will be allocated to them during the next few weeks.

A trust spokesman said: "We welcome the news of extra money for the area and are now waiting to see what funds will be coming to us.

"Until we know the detail we cannot comment on what extra work we will be able to do."