An extra £21 million is to be invested in a city's health services over the next year.

The extra Government funding puts Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust budget at more than £400 million.

The extra spending will include:
* an extra £1 million for public health including more action on sexual health, alcohol abuse, obesity and teenage pregnancy;
* £800,000 more for cancer services to ensure local patient are treated promptly;
* an additional £2 million to fund NHS continuing care packages (usually provided in nursing homes, hospices or hospitals);
*£1.3 million to improve GP surgeries and pay for longer opening hours;
* £2.6 million for the most specialised health services such as neurosurgery, cardiac surgery and specialist cancer care.
*£650,000 to improve breast screening services.

Almost £136 million of the budget will be spent with Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust on services at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

A further £43 million will be spent on community health services commissioned from South Downs Health Trust; while mental health services provided by Sussex Partnership Trust will absorb £40 million.

The PCT will also spend £35.5 million on primary care services, £14 million on dental services and £40 million on prescribing.

PCT chief executive Darren Grayson said the spending plans would make a significant difference for local people over the next three years.

The city's director of public health Tom Scanlon said: "The extra cash for public health and preventive work marks a sea change for the PCT.

"It will be used to tackle some of the most pressing health problems and health inequalities facing Brighton and Hove."

The Argus recently reported that Brighton and Hove had been underfunded by £52 million over the past six years than was suggested was needed by the NHS funding formula, which estimates how much each area needs for healthcare.