HOSPITALS in Bury and Oldham look set to share in a £300m plan to upgrade health facilities in the run-up to winter.

Bosses at Pennine Acute Hospitals have been awarded £1.92m by the Department of Health in a bid to ease the pressures which engulf the NHS during each cold snap.

The NHS trust, now part of the Northern Care Alliance, runs Fairfield General, the Royal Oldham Hospital and Rochdale Infirmary.

Major allocations are dished out annually by the government for the same purpose - with this round directed at accident and emergency wards.

New waiting areas, improved and increased numbers of treatment cubicles and better infection control measures are all areas where the funding could be invested.

Same-day emergency care and faster patient flows through casualty are other initiatives where the money might be spent.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We continue to deliver on our promise to build back better and faster, with £300 million allocated today for NHS trusts to upgrade their facilities and improve A&E capacity.

"These upgrades will help our fantastic NHS prepare for the winter months, helping them to deliver essential services and reduce the risk of coronavirus infections.

"Thanks to the hard work and tireless efforts of NHS staff throughout the pandemic, our A&Es have remained open for the public.

"It’s vital that those who need emergency treatment this winter access it, and for those who remain concerned about visiting hospitals, let me assure you that the NHS has measures in place to keep people safe."

James Daly, Bury North MP said: "The work that our exceptional NHS staff have carried out over the past few months during the Covid-19 pandemic has been truly outstanding and I would like to pay tribute to them for their tireless efforts in keeping everyone in Bury, Ramsbottom and Tottington safe

"Whilst we all hope for the best this upcoming winter, it is vital that we plan for the worst case scenario. This additional Government funding will ensure we are in the best possible position for the challenges that the winter months may bring."

Health Minister Edward Argar added: "Our NHS did an amazing job to ensure emergency care continued to be available for everyone who needed it during the peak of this pandemic.

"Today, we are announcing the details of the trusts across the country who will receive a share of £300 million to upgrade their A&Es and support emergency care to help them to continue to deliver safe and accessible services throughout the normally busy winter period."

Elsewhere the Royal Bolton Hospital received £2.56m, Salford Royal got £1.44m and Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust £4.86m.