THE outpatients clinic at Macclesfield Hospital is set for a £900,000 refurbishment next year.

East Cheshire NHS Trust, which runs Macclesfield District General Hospital, has been given £900,000 of additional funding from NHS regulators to spend on capital projects as a reward for beating its financial target in 2017-18.

At a meeting on Thursday, chief executive John Wilbraham told the board of directors that the cash boost will be used to improve the outpatients facility at the hospital.

He said: “It is some time since this department was established and it is the intention of the [executive] team to seek to create a space that is good for both patients and staff.

“Also [it is] to ensure technology is utilised to ensure an efficient and effective service is delivered, and maximise opportunity for future delivery models.

“The executive team will be discussing the opportunity and who should be involved in the development during July.”

Executive board members are currently looking at other modern outpatients facilities as they prepare plans for the new-look Macclesfield clinic.

The trust must spend the cash in this financial year, with work expected to be complete before winter 2019-20.

Mr Wilbraham added: “This is about looking at what is the future way of delivering outpatients services.

“It is about having a better environment fit for anything that we might achieve in the near future.”