An extra 1,400 operations a year will be carried out when an innovative health care centre opens in Bradford.

The diagnostic and treatment centre is one of 11 across the country which have been given Department of Health backing to work with overseas, private developers to carry out an extra 39,500 operations by 2005.

And patients should be diagnosed and treated within just four weeks.

The Bradford centre, which North Bradford Primary Care Trust wants to build on the site of the former Eccleshill Upper School, will increase the amount of surgery classed as day cases, such as cataract operations. Patients could also receive immediate diagnosis for health problems.

The PCT plans to use its own GP specialists, local consultants and private sector staff at the centre, but overseas staff could be used in areas with recruitment problems, such as radiography and anaesthetics.

Now both UK and overseas independent health care providers are being invited to bid to build and run the centres.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn said: "Waiting times are coming down but too many patients still wait too long for treatment. By drawing services from independent health care providers into the NHS we can help to ensure that people no longer have to opt out of the NHS to get the faster treatment they need.

"These new services are about ensuring that more people can be treated according to the NHS principle of care according to need and not ability to pay."

Dr Ian Rutter, chief executive of North Bradford PCT, said: "We are looking for an international partner who will work with us to develop a new, dedicated facility at Eccleshill and who will then own and manage the centre.

"Very rigorous standards will be in place to ensure we can offer a high quality service to our patients but we believe developing this centre will give us the flexibility we need to ensure that 80 per cent of our patients can have all diagnostic procedures carried out in one visit to one clinic and leave with a diagnosis of their treatment agreed.

"Maximum waiting times would be two weeks for the diagnostic visit and a further two weeks for treatment."

The other centres will be in Bristol, Dorset and Somerset, Plymouth, Burton-on-Trent, Chesterfield, Manchester, Basildon, Stanmore and Daventry.