PLANS to rebuild St Helens Hospital as part of a £228million modernisation of the borough's health service have been approved by council planners.

Building work at the Peasley Cross site is now set to get underway in late spring next year with a completion date set for summer 2007.

Funded by a private finance initiative, the project will see the outdated wards demolished and replaced or extensively refurbished.

Major benefits

Ann Marr, chief executive of the St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals Trust, said: "This is a major step forward that will ultimately see the transformation of the hospital and will provide new and modern health care facilities for the residents of St Helens and Knowsley".

Plans for the rebuilding of Whiston and Newton Hospitals still need to be passed. According to the Trust, the planned three-hospital redevelopment is set to create 500 jobs, including 375 new doctors and nurses. Many more should be generated during the construction phase.

Up to 197 hospital beds, 15 new operating theatres, five new endoscopy suites, and ten additional outpatient wards should also be created.

It is hoped the improvements will produce major benefits to patient care, resulting in reduction in waiting times and waiting lists, easing the pressure on the A&E unit and eliminating the need to postpone routine operations.