DOCTORS and dentists in Swindon are celebrating the news that the town is to receive a £37m cash boost from the Government.

They say it's about time Swindon got its fair share of funding after it was revealed that the town's Primary Care Trust was currently receiving 0.5 per cent less than it should.

Health Secretary John Reid has announced that the PCT which employs Swindon's doctors, dentists and community nurses would get a budget increase of £17.2m in 2006-7, an 8.3 per cent increase, and an increase of £20million in 2007-8 a nine per cent increase.

A PCT spokeswoman said: "The PCT is now working through how the proposed funding will help it achieve its targets for improved health care for the whole population and allow it to address areas of significant need.

"The PCT has made considerable progress over the last three years in order to live within its means.

"By 2006 to 2007 we expect to have balanced our books, reduced waiting times, and focussed care at those most in need.

"The PCT will continue to face up to the difficult decisions which need to be made to deliver the best health services within the resources available."

Dr Kandy Kandiah, from Sparcells Surgery in Midwinter Close, Peatmoor, said: "This is good news for Swindon's PCT.

"Swindon does have many problems, such as teenage pregnancy, and the time has come for it to have some good news like this."

The PCT will be told to use the extra cash to meet targets set out in the Government's Public Health White Paper, including improving sexual health services, providing school nurses and providing health trainers to boost patients' well being as well as reducing waiting lists and speed up operations.

Dr Kandiah believes that spending money on preventative medicine is a vitally important function of the PCT.

"Its particularly important that this money is spent on preventative work such as sex education in schools and educating people about their lifestyle and diet.

The budget boost means that the amount of money the Swindon PCT can spend on each patient a year will be £1,288.

Dr Peter Swinyard, of the Phoenix Surgery in Dunwich Drive, said: "Any increase in resources is always good news for Swindon.

"And the PCT is not bad at getting the resources that it should.

"They need to invest in primary care.

"Preventative work is always a very useful thing to do as long as there is a balance between that and the treatment of patients."

Diana Milne