Planning permission has been granted for a new £267million acute hospital in Enniskillen.

The news was welcomed by Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, who described the announcement as an "important milestone" in the development of world-class health and social care services for the population of the south west.

He said: "I visited Enniskillen recently to launch an exhibition of the new hospital which will allow people to see how this new state-of-the-art facility will look when it opens in 2012. Once completed, this new hospital will be the first in Northern Ireland to provide 100% single rooms with en-suite facilities.

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"The new hospital will have a range of acute services, including 24-hour accident and emergency; inpatient services including medicine, surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and critical care; and a range of diagnostic services and outpatient services," added Mr McGimpsey.

Enabling works are currently underway and construction of the new acute hospital is planned to start in the spring.

(PR/KMcA)