Ealing Hospital has been given nearly £3million by the government to help with the expected surge in A&E patients this winter.
It is part of a £250m package, split between the 53 NHS trusts which will be the most under pressure in the coming months.
Ealing Hospital Trust said it was planning to use the cash to increase capacity, including boosting staff levels in the emergency room, particularly during the weekends.
Figures released last week show it is much needed. Last month, Ealing’s A&E department was 30 short of its 106 staff.
A trust spokeswoman said: “We can’t ignore the fact that winter brings extra pressure on the NHS and nowhere is the pressure felt more than at the doors of A&E. Last year, the system across England struggled to cope with extra demand in A&E, but it recovered and 96 per cent of people are now seen within four hours.”
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt announced the extra funding on Tuesday.
He said another £250m would be given to trusts next year when plans to reverse the trend in rising A&E figures, by helping those with chronic conditions get help earlier, would also be rolled out.
A&E patients have risen by 32 per cent in the past decade, and by one million each year since 2010.
The plans to tackle this centre on improving care for vulnerable older people with complex, long-term health problems before they need the help of an emergency department.
