Airedale Hospital is to recruit up to 180 more staff and improve facilities to meet the future needs of patients.

Trust bosses say the increase in staffing over the next four years is essential to meet the needs of patients and the demands of the NHS national plan.

They have drawn up a plan to meet waiting time and emergency care targets by 2006.

In line with Government thinking, trust chiefs at the Steeton hospital have identified a need for more resources in cancer, heart disease, emergency care and diagnosis, to keep up with rising patient numbers. This will involve more staff, the introduction of new services and investment in new equipment.

Director of planning and marketing Doug Farrow said: "Our aim is to deliver the vision of future health care outlined in the Government's National Plan. It's about ensuring people have emergency care when they need it and it's about modernising cancer services so that treatment in this country is equal to the rest of Europe, not Third World countries.

"This needs investment in doctors, specialist nurses and new equipment, as well as making best use of what already exists in Airedale."

To tackle cancer, trust chiefs want to introduce nurses specialising in the field and expand palliative care. They are also seeking funds to ensure that modern drugs recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) are available to patients.

Additional investment to treat patients with heart disease will include a new rapid access clinic, more staff and new resources to speed up testing and diagnosis.

The trust aims to reduce the number of short stay emergency admissions by improving early diagnosis and treatment. Community rehabilitation teams will provide intermediate care and visit patients in their homes, particularly those suffering from lung disease, which affects 10 per cent of over 60s in Britain.

"Patients with lung disease can be managed in their home," said Mr Farrow. "We found last year that approximately 25 per cent of beds were filled by people who didn't need to be there."

The trust is planning to open up two new operating theatres dedicated to day care surgery to cope with a predicted increase in cases. The development would be in addition to the six theatres already at the hospital.

An additional day case area will provide a one stop diagnosis and treatment shop for minor procedures.

Staff at Airedale will also work with colleagues in primary care to reduce the number of elderly people admitted following falls.

Mr Farrow added that while the extra capital required would not be a problem, finding extra revenue due to the increase in staff would be more difficult, but not impossible.

The trust is due to submit a final draft of the plans to Government health chiefs by the end of this month.