New £1.8m hospital lab 'will cut waiting times'

The new laboratory, due to open next month in the hospital's west wing, will provide permanent facilities and improved conditions for patients and medical staff. It has taken six months to complete and is one of the largest labs in the country.

At the moment, hospital bosses have to hire out a mobile lab at a cost of around 8,000 a week.

Consultant cardiologist Dr Mark Signy said: "We already provide a really good service in the rather cramped conditions of the mobile labs but now we have a state-of-the-art facility that is superbly equipped, light, spacious and pleasant for patients.

"We will now be able to cut waiting lists because we can carry out more procedures, and we are also attracting new staff through the quality of the equipment they will be working with.

"Overall, it will be a fantastic new facility for the people of Worthing and the surrounding area."

The air-conditioned facility also has a central control room, a six-trolley recovery bay, offices, and utility and shower rooms. The area next to the main laboratory has also been designed to be able to accommodate a second laboratory in the future.