Exceptional emergency department performance has won the Trust which runs Colchester General Hospital a £100,000 boost.

Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust was awarded the cash by health minister Rosie Winterton, because the hospital has been delivering a better, faster service for patients.

Only hospitals which have consistently seen 97 per cent of patients in and out of A&E departments within four hours or less were given the extra cash. The money will be used to develop services in the hospital.

A spokesman for Essex Rivers said the Trust was pleased the hard work of staff had been recognised.

"Enormous progress has been made in recent months and years in the emergency department, but we still need to improve, and that's what we'll be striving to do in 2005." he said.

Published Tuesday, February 15, 2005

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