THE Royal Surrey County Hospital will benefit from £1million to ease pressure on its accident and emergency (A&E) unit in time for next winter.

A dedicated area will be created following nurse streaming in A&E, where primary care clinicians will be able to see appropriate patients.

The new space will also create three dedicated GP clinic rooms, a waiting area for patients and a small reception area.

The Department of Health announced the allocation of £55.98million of the £100million A&E capital funding, outlined in the Spring Budget.

At this stage, the funding awarded is being allocated to 70 hospitals. It will be used by hospitals to meet the 95 per cent standard of admitting, transferring, or discharging patients within four hours.

The plans outlined by NHS trusts include primary care streaming and locating GP practices within A&E departments to ensure patients are treated in the most appropriate setting.

The investment is one part of the A&E plan being implemented across the NHS in 2017 to raise performance levels to the 95 per cent standard during 2018.