THE Dilke is in line for £140,000-worth of improvements following a NHS Gloucestershire go-ahead this week.

The 'significant' service and facility projects "will support the continuing commitment to provide an increased range of services closer to home in the Forest of Dean and to invest in local community hospitals" says the NHS.

X-ray equipment is to be updated and there will be an expansion of the facility space to meet national requirements. Pregnant women will also benefit from a purpose-built ultrasound area.

Plans are also in place to develop a children's therapy centre, providing a child friendly environment in a dedicated area of the hospital.

Occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy services will be able to make maximum use of the facility and there will also be opportunities for other children's services to benefit from the therapy centre in the future, providing care closer to home.

Local outpatient services are to expand. As part of this, there will be increased hand washing facilities, separate rooms and more waiting area space.

In the Minor Injury Unit, there will be a new purpose built plaster/splinting room for treatment of fractures replacing the current limited space that will form part of the expansion of the X-ray department.

Chief executive of NHS Gloucestershire, Jan Stubbings, said: "These are exciting times for the Forest of Dean community hospitals and it gives me great pleasure to announce these plans.

"We are continuing to do all we can, working with local GPs and other community partners, to make services more accessible to residents in the Forest of Dean and to upgrade local facilities for the benefit of patients and staff alike."

Chairman of the Friends of Dilke Memorial Hospital, Bob Young, said: "These are very positive developments and help to move the hospital in the right direction.

"The Dilke remains of huge importance to the local community and these projects signal a bright future ahead. We will continue to work with NHS Gloucestershire and the hospital staff to monitor progress and to keep disruption to a minimum whilst building work takes place."

Chair of the Forest of Dean Commissioning Cluster and local GP, Dr Martin Gibbs, said: "It is fantastic to be celebrating more good news for local community hospitals and the plans fit well with the commissioning plans of local GPs.

"There is a sense that we are all working together for the betterment of facilities and services and I am confident that the local community will continue to be hugely supportive and excited as the projects are taken forward."

NHS Gloucestershire says it is planning to make further announcements about local health service developments in the next few weeks.