EYE operations for South Durham patients will be speeded up thanks to the opening of a new operating theatre.

The new ninth theatre at Darlington Memorial hospital was opened on Friday of last week by Health Minister and local MP Mr Alan Milburn.

It cost £400,000 and will help the South Durham NHS trust treat more patients, more quickly. In particular it will enable surgeons to carry out an extra 100 cataract operations a year to meet its target of 1,507.

Although specifically aimed at eye surgery, the theatre will benefit all specialities and means that, on average, an extra 33 planned operations can be carried out each week. It also will free up space for emergencies.

Mr Paul Trippett, trust chairman, said: "We are totally committed to significantly reducing the length of time people have to wait for surgery.

"We are continuing to meet all national and local targets, but the new theatre will help us reduce our waiting times even further."

Mr Milburn said the NHS was now going for growth and expansion.

"The big problem is not so much building theatres but recruiting, training and retaining new staff over the next few years.

"There is going to be a very big expansion, not only nurses but also back room staff, to make this happen. Without them the front line staff can't do their jobs."

Cash was also going to be ploughed into the service to make it sustainable.

"In the past there has been a lot of money spent one year, and cut back the next," he went on. "If we are going to give patients the kind of care they want, it has to be sustained for a period of time.