HEALTH chiefs linked to York-Hull Medical School have scooped £1.5 million of Government cash to carry out research.

The extra investment will allow the school's NHS partners to set up research facilities, attract world-class researchers and carry out research in areas such as genetics, diabetes, and cancer.

Ministers said it would benefit NHS patients "both locally and nationally" and would be "a significant boost for academic medicine."

Health Minister Lord Warner said the Government was committed to strengthening research and innovation.

He said it was vital the NHS received the benefit of the latest scientific developments.

He said: "Investment in research saves lives and that is why it is vital that we make sure the NHS is a research-rich environment so that patients reap the benefits.

"This extra funding will mean that future doctors can play their part in developing new treatments for tomorrow's patients."

The Government has allocated a one-off payment of £1.5m for research and development at eight medical schools.

It also provides annual funding of approximately £146,000.

The medical schools which will receive the funding alongside York-Hull are East Anglia, Brighton and Sussex, Durham and Newcastle, Keele and Manchester, Leicester and Warwick, Peninsula (Exeter and Plymouth) and Leeds and Bradford.

Updated: 14:25 Wednesday, August 04, 2004