STRATTON Hospital is set to undergo a phased three-year programme of development and refurbishment when it will be effectively "re-designed."

The plans — which have to be agreed formally by the Primary Care Trust — will see a first phase involving outpatient services, including minor injuries unit, physiotherapy, minor surgery and dental services.

The second phase will be major works involving inpatient services, the palliative care suite, occupational therapy and include a first floor extension.

The Stratton Hospital League of Friends are "thrilled with the proposals and are keen to help support the rebuild."

The "exciting plans," were revealed, says a statement, following a regular meeting between Bude/Stratton Community health Group and the Cornwall and Scilly Isles NHS.

Antek Lejk, the director of partnetship commissioning, says: "We are delighted by the partnership working across the whole community to re-design the hospital and we look forward to improving local services and the environment significantly."

Kevin Baber, the managing director of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Community Services, adds: "This exciting project will need to be phased to minimise disruption to services as the whole hospital is re-designed and re-organised, but, once it is completed, I know that the improvements for staff and patients will be warmly received."

Stratton is believed to be the second oldest community hospital in the United Kingdon, having opened in the mid 19th century. It was then maintained by voluntary contributions virtually on a shoestring with initial running costs fifteen shillings and eleven pence per patient per week.   Electric light was installed in 1908 and hot and cold running water in 1909. (These are extracts from "The Story of Stratton Hospital" by John Pollock).

The League of Friends of Stratton Hospital was founded in the early 1970s and over the years has enabled and funded many improvements to the hospital for the benefit of the medical profession, staff and patients.

In November last year, Stratton Hospital was praised by North Cornwall MP, Dan Rogerson, but he said a further improvement in facilities is needed.

He met staff to talk about the facilities available for treatment and care of patients.

The hospital serves people not just from Bude and North Cornwall, but over the border in Devon, including Holsworthy, Bridgerule and Bradworthy.

But, Mr Rogerson was among Cornwall's MPs who this week slammed NHS waiting times after statistics revealed that Cornish patients are waiting significantly longer than the average for patients in other parts of the country.

The 2007-2008 figures published by Hospital Episode show that Cornish patients are waiting almost two weeks longer on average than patients in other areas of the country.

The team of Liberal Democrat MPs says NHS waiting times should be guaranteed across the country. They recently secured a review of the healthcare funding formula for Cornish hospitals, resulting in additional £45-million funding each year for Cornwall.

North Cornwall's MP, Dan Rogerson, commented: "It is wholly unacceptable that Cornish residents are being made to wait nearly two weeks longer than those in the rest of country.

"This is a demonstrable legacy of the unfair funding formula left behind by the Conservatives and only just addressed by Ministers. It highlights the postcode lottery at the heart of our centralised NHS.

"Cornish people deserve the same level of service as residents who live in other parts of the United Kingdom. That's why Liberal Democrats would give patients a guarantee they would be treated on time."