A FURTHER £7m of spending over the next year is planned for the hospital that serves Bromsgrove to upgrade facilities and improve comfort for patients and visitors.

The proposals for the Alexandra Hospital, in Redditch, were announced at last Wednesday's meeting of Bromsgrove and Redditch Community Health Council (CHC).

Funding has already been secured for a £700,000 high dependency unit to look after critical patients, as well as £800,000 of new equipment and departmental refurbishments.

Bids to the NHS Executive have been lodged for a new £4m sterilisation unit serving the whole county, to be located either in the Alexandra Hospital or in Worcester, as part of a national drive to improve standards.

Money is also being sought for a £900,000 centre of excellence for orthopaedics and a £400,000 creche for staff, after health chiefs identified childcare as crucial to attract the best applicants and keep employees.

Projects on the drawing board include a £220,000 expansion of the pharmacy and a £400,000 upgrade of the pathology department, which was criticised by the CHC over hygiene standards.

Members also welcomed the plans for a £75,000 multi-faith centre which will for the first time provide somewhere for people of all religions to worship.

CHC chairman the Rev Andrew Smith welcomed the new plans and praised staff and contractors for keeping the hospital open during the previous refurbishments.

At the meeting, the completion of last year's £2.5m projects to repair the roof, improve accident and emergency facilities and upgrade waiting areas was announced.