A&E and maternity services at Princess Royal University Hospital [PRUH] is set to see improvements after being given £5.2m of government funding.

Money will be spent on seven extra bays in A&E, as well as improvements to the maternity services provided at the maternity unit and surgery recovery wards.

Changes to A&E will see the number of waiting and assessment bays increase from 13 to 20 and the reception area remodelled and combined with the urgent care centre to make triaging walk-in patients easier.

The expansion is part of the PRUH’s plan to deal with increasing patient numbers and some extra demand following the closure of the A&E at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup in December 2010.

Health campaigner David Mott, 65, of Red Cedars Road, Orpington, said: "It’s a good thing for patients if we are getting the right equipment and space.

"I’m pleased we are getting it, hopefully it will be a good thing for residents in Bromley and Bexley. It definitely needs upgrading because they’re not meeting waiting target times.

"This has been going on for a year since they closed the A&E at Queen Mary’s."

Funding will also be used to create four new delivery suites and a bereavement suite in the maternity unit, as well as some extra beds in day surgery recovery wards to increase the number of operations the hospital is able carry out each day.

South London Healthcare NHS Trust Chief executive Chris Streather said: "We are delighted to receive this funding, it will improve services for our patients and result in better clinical care."

The money, from the department of health, was part of a £330m pot for hospital buildings and equipment in England.