A total of £8.4m is to be invested to develop a purpose-built centre of excellence at Daisy Hill Hospital in Northern Ireland.

A further £6.9m has also been announced to upgrade the paediatric services at Craigavon Area Hospital.

Health Minister Jim Wells approved the two development programmes and said the capital project represents a major investment for the area and for the construction industry.

-- Advertisement --

He said: "I am extremely confident that the local economy will benefit from the project by not only securing, but creating employment in this challenging economic climate."

The centre will be located on Level 6 of the hospital which will be redeveloped to include a new child-friendly theatre suite and recovery area, co-located beside a 20-bed children's ward, and an area for paediatric outpatients and ambulatory care – all custom designed to support the delivery of the most up to date clinical standards for the treatment and care of children and young people.

The design team has been appointed with construction work which is currently expected to be completed in 2017.

(CD/JP)