Hazel Blears, MP for Salford, today released the figures that show how the Labour government is to continue to invest in improving the NHS.

“In two weeks time, the NHS will receive a cash injection of £8 billion to help wipe out waiting lists across the country – an increase of £27.8 million for Salford Primary Care Trust” said MP Hazel Blears.

“This will help deliver a maximum wait of 18-weeks from referral to treatment by December 2008 with many patients seen even more quickly than that

“This will be a major achievement for the NHS – making it more streamlined and productive as well as leading to a much better experience for patients.  It will change people’s lives by improving care and cutting unnecessary delays.

“Labour believes in the NHS.  We established it and in the last ten years we have been re-building it from the decimated state the Tories left it in.  Labours investment has already delivered the lowest waiting times ever, 50,000 extra lives saved from cancer, 150,000 lives saved from coronary disease, 300,000 extra staff - an NHS that is improving the health and well-being of the people of England.