Health chiefs plan to spend £61 million on improving NHS services for patients.

Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust will use the money on several areas, including cutting waiting times for surgery, X-rays and MRI scans.

It will also be used to keep up the fight against cancer and heart disease, helping people live healthier lifestyles and supporting those with long-term health problems like asthma and diabetes.

The Department of Health will increase the trust's annual budget between 2006 and 2008 from £321 million to almost £382 million.

It will get an increase of £28.7 million for the 2006/7 financial year and a further rise of £32.3 million for 2007/8.

Trust chief executive Gary Needle said: "This is good news for the people of Brighton and Hove.

"Major progress has already been made in reducing the time patients wait for an outpatient appointment, in-patient surgery, in A&E and to see a GP or practice nurse.

"We are consulting on proposed changes to the way we deliver healthcare, including providing more services in the community and in GP surgeries to reduce the need to go into hospital."

Brighton and Hove's allocation was higher than the 8.1 per cent minimum rise for all primary care trusts.

Hastings and St Leonards will receive £133 million (9.1 per cent rise) in 2006/7 and £145.6 million (9.4 per cent) in 2007/8
Adur, Arun and Worthing will receive £303.4 million (8.2 per cent) in 2006/7 and £328.2 million (8.2) in 2007/8
Crawley will receive £129.4 million (9.1 per cent) in 2006/7 and £141.7 million (9.5 per cent) in 2007/8
Bexhill and Rother will receive £115.2 million (8.1 per cent) in 2006/7 and £124.6 million (8.2 per cent) in 2007/8
Eastbourne Downs will receive £247.5 million (8.1 per cent) in 2006/7 and £267.7 million (8.2 per cent) in 2007/8
Horsham and Chanctonbury will get £121.7 million (9.2 per cent) in 2006/7 and £133.8 million (9.9 pe cent) in 2007/8
Mid-Sussex will receive £153.2 million (8.1 per cent) in 2006/7 and £165.6 million (8.1 per cent) in 2007/8
Western Sussex will receive £244.7 million (8.1 per cent) in 2006/7 and £264.7 million (8.2 pe cent) in 2007/8