HOPES are high that a bid for £1m to replace an out-dated ward at Malton Hospital will get the go-ahead.

The news follows the disclosure by Health Minister John Hutton that £23.1m needs to be spent on upgrading hospital wards in Yorkshire hospitals.

Mary Stephens, manager of the hospital, said: "We haven't got the money yet, but we are hopeful."

She said: "The plan was to update the hospital's Fitzwilliam Ward, which has some 27 beds and is the traditional Nightingale layout."

"There would still be the same number of beds," said Mrs Stephens, "but they would be smaller wards." She said the Fitzwilliam Ward was in the oldest part of the hospital dating back at least 80 years. It would release space elsewhere in the hospital because the scheme will involve a partial new-build to accommodate the new ward. "It will be a big improvement for patients, families and staff and we are keeping our fingers crossed that the scheme will get approval."

Bruce Miller, chairman of the Malton Hospital's League of Friends, said: "I understand Malton's scheme is second on the list. It will be a tremendous benefit to the hospital."

Mr Miller said the Friends would be happy to fund the purchase of any further equipment which might be needed as a result of the development.

"This year we shall have raised between £30,000 and £40,000 through our charity shop in Malton," said Mr Miller.

Some of the money has been used to buy a bed hoist for the hospital's Ryedale Ward.

In the past six years, the organisation has raised more than £30,000 for the hospital, and since it started 15 years ago around £300,000 has been realised.

"The hospital does rely on us to fund equipment and we are very happy to help because the NHS trust just doesn't have the money," said Mr Miller.

Scarborough and Ryedale NHS trust spokeswoman Gilly Collinson said that over half the £23.1m described by Mr Hutton could be spent in its hospitals alone.

The funding is needed, she said, to improve the traditional 'Nightingale' wards at Scarborough General. The wards - with a large number of beds on each side in the style dating back to the days of the legendary Florence Nightingale - are in need of replacing by smaller, more intimate wards, she said.

"The Government has committed itself to getting rid of those type of wards," said Ms Collinson, director of communications for the trust.

However, she added, while they could be converted, the cost was high and the bed capacity was reduced by 50pc.

"The best way is to build new wards," she said.

Malton's scheme is now with the NHS regional department. "We are optimistic that it will get the go-ahead," said Ms Collinson. "The existing Malton hospital ward does lend itself to conversion."

However the go-ahead for the Scarborough Hospital scheme is unlikely to get the same priority because of the high cost - £12m.

"We already struggle to make ends meet in the trust," said Ms Collinson. Priority tended to be given to patient care rather than to buildings, she said.

The trust still had some portable buildings but, compared with many other NHS trusts, its buildings were quite good and updated. "We have now got rid of the old St Mary's Hospital but some trusts are still functioning in such 19th century buildings," said Ms Collinson.

St Mary's - Scarborough's former workhouse in Dean Road - has been demolished to make way for a multi-million pound development.

Updated: 09:37 Thursday, December 06, 2001