Up to 1500 extra operations will be carried out at the Golden Jubilee Hospital, thanks to additional investment of £1.5 million.

The Scottish Government funding will enable the hospital to deliver an extra 300 joint replacements and up to 1200 cataract operations each year.

It will mean patients from across the Falkirk area who are referred to the Golden Jubilee will receive faster treatment, and will help NHS Forth Valley to manage increases in demand.

The investment, which will be in place from 2014/15, is on top of £72.2 million of funding that is being invested by health boards across Scotland in 2013/14.

The money will be invested in recruiting additional doctors, nurses and support staff.

In welcoming this new Falkirk West MSP and Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said:

“The NHS is treating more patients than ever, and I know how important it is for patients to be treated quickly. Waiting times remain amongst their lowest ever levels, and we want to keep it that way.

“I also know that, while across the country the NHS has performed well on meeting the new 12 week treatment time guarantee – seeing 98.3 per cent of patients within the legal treatment time – there have been issues and challenges in some cases.

“That is why I am delighted that there is additional investment in increasing capacity at the Golden Jubilee, and this will also help enable NHS Forth Valley as well as other NHS boards reduce their use of the private sector.