A HAMPSHIRE MP has welcomed a £4m funding boost to help the county's hospital trust.

Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust identified a scheme that will help with its emergency care capacity and has been allocated £4.06 million by the government.

This funding will enable the NHS to deliver additional beds, redevelop A&E units and upgrade wards, enhance bed management systems, and improve ‘same-day’ emergency care.

The funding comes as part of wider allocations by the Department for Health and Social Care to help hospitals to deliver improvements in their A&E performance ahead of winter. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, announced a total of 81 new schemes, totalling £145 million of capital investment.

Ranil Jayawardens, MP for North East Hampshire, said the funding would help make sure the NHS performs as well as it possibly can this winter.

He added: "It is good news that HM Government has risen to the challenge and is acting early to provide our local NHS with over £4 million more to make preparations and make sure our local hospitals can cope this winter.

"The truth is that it’s because we have a strong economy that we can afford a strong NHS. This additional funding for better equipment and extra care is yet another win for North East Hampshire and beyond."