Stepping Hill Hospital will get a new pathology building following a £26m government grant.

A pathology lab allows doctors to carry out tests on patient samples to help diagnose and prevent diseases.

The new building will replace the hospital's existing pathology unit with a modern environment to support 'safe, efficient and high-quality' diagnostic services for residents of Stockport, High Peak, and beyond.

It is expected to improve 'timely diagnoses' for the 10 million tests carried out by Stockport NHS each year.

The funding forms part of a £1.5bn funding package from the UK government to support NHS infrastructure and maintenance projects across the country.

Jackie McShane, chief operating officer for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, welcomed the funding.

"We are delighted at the announcement of this new investment for our pathology services", she said.

"Our current pathology service delivers 21st-century medical science from a building constructed for the needs of the previous century.

"The new building will be a great step forward, helping us to provide improved support for timely diagnoses for conditions such as cancer, in an enhanced and more efficient environment."

Stockport MP Navendu Mishra similarly welcomed the news. "This will not fix all of the problems facing Stepping Hill, and there is still a huge amount of work to do", he said. "But it is a positive step in the right direction."

Lisa Smart and Tom Morrison - Lib Dem MPs for Hazel Grove and Cheadle respectively - also 'welcomed' the funding but warned it was 'well short' of the £134 million required for the hospital's repair backlog.

"Any investment in Stepping Hill is welcome, and it's right that the Government has recognised the state of our hospital's estate", Mr Morrison said.

"But we still don't know how much of this £200 million is actually coming to Stepping Hill. With a backlog of £134 million, a small share of a pot shared between ten hospitals won't touch the sides. I've submitted written questions to get a straight answer on the figure, the timetable, and what happens if the works slip."

Ms Smart also said: "We've heard this before, and I asked the Secretary of State directly whether this is genuinely new money or the same pot being relabelled.

"As welcome as the new pathology building is, this was work already under way, and the £134 million backlog won't disappear because of it.

"I've invited the Secretary of State to come and see for herself, to meet the hardworking staff who keep this hospital running, and to walk through buildings that are older than the NHS itself."