HOSPITALS in Worcestershire and Herefordshire have been promised a share of an £8m cash boost for new equipment - but only as a reward if they cut long waiting times for patients.

West Midlands South health authority is being handed an extra £8m over the next three years to help finance improvements to hospital services.

The money can be spent on larger pieces of equipment, including incubators, ultrasound scanners, security systems and better lighting in operating theatres.

Alternatively, hospital administrators could choose to improve their computer systems, or opt for new furniture for hospital wards.

But the health authority will only distribute the cash - part of a £100m Access Fund - to hospitals that make make rapid progress in cutting waiting times.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn said: "This new fund will reward high-performing National Health Service organisations.

''Staff and patients will benefit from improvements in both facilities and buildings.

"It will provide a positive incentive to get waiting times for treatment down.

''How the money will be spent will be decided locally by the consultants and staff who make the improvements happen."

Mr Milburn also pledged increases of 31 per cent in 2003/4, 14 per cent in 2004/5 and 20 per cent in 2005/6, to modernise the NHS's creaking infrastructure.

He said: "For decades the NHS was short of investment in buildings and equipment. Now we are putting this right."