THE world's leading healthcare providers are being invited to help fast-track plans for a multi-million pound Diagnostic and Treatment Centre at Maidstone Hospital.

The invitations to build and run the centre follow the inclusion of the project in a trail-blazing Government initiative to use international expertise and finance in its battle to cut patient waiting lists.

It is the first time that leading healthcare providers across the globe have been invited to become involved with such a scheme.

If successful, it would mean the Maidstone DTC opening some 15 months earlier than originally planned and bring much needed relief to the existing pressure on bed space in the hospital.

The centre would take all day case surgery out of the main hospital, leaving it with extra capacity to increase its critical care beds and to care for more patients in areas such as specialist cancer surgery. At the same time, the centre would reduce waiting times for day surgery.

Plans for the DTC envisage four theatres for day surgery, two dedicated endoscopy theatres, beds for about 40 patients, and X-ray and ultrasound facilities.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which is responsible for the project, said interest had already been shown from companies in America, South Africa, and Europe, although it was still early days.