A hospital is to undergo a multi-million-pound refurbishment.

Managers at Crawley Hospital have been given permission to spend £19 million on a major facelift and extension of services.

Work is expected to start early next year and will take less than two years.

The changes have been on the cards for several months but the trust running the hospital had to wait for the go-ahead from Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority.

Work includes a £1.2 million walk-in centre to replace the accident and emergency department, following the controversial decision to send critically-ill patients to East Surrey Hospital in Redhill.

Other changes include a centre to help people with long-term illnesses manage their conditions and an assessment clinic for patients preparing for surgery.

There are also plans to refurbish and expand wards to provide beds for patients who no longer need to be in hospital but are not quite strong enough to be left alone at home.

Another ward will be used to care for older people with mental health problems.

The changes at Crawley were drawn up by hospital managers and Crawley Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Developments which have already taken place include new facilities for day surgery, rehabilitation for stroke patients and a children's unit.

The children's unit will deal with day case and outpatient services but emergency and in- patient cases will go to Redhill.

Hospital chief executive Ken Cunningham said the plans illustrated a commitment to providing patient care closer to home. He said: "Crawley Hospital will complement the work of the trust's acute site at East Surrey Hospital while providing the majority of diagnostic and outpatient treatments on the patient's doorstep."