The private sector is to be drafted in to run fast-track treatment clinics for routine surgery in the UK.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn announced on Monday plans for 23 new diagnostic and treatment centres.

Of these 12 will be run by the NHS, at a cost of almost �100m, and the rest will be run by the private sector.

Private-run centres

North Bristol South Bristol Dorset and Somerset South West Peninsula Burton on Trent Chesterfield Greater Manchester North Bradford Basildon and Thurrock Stanmore Daventry

Ten such centres, which will handle operations like hip replacements, have already been piloted over the last 12 months.

Mr Milburn said bids to run clinics would be considered from both UK and overseas independent healthcare providers.

Successful bidders will either work alone or in a joint venture with the NHS.

Extra operations

The units are designed to take some pressure off NHS hospitals and free up beds for more seriously ill patients.

NHS-run centres

Swindon Chichester Chelsea and Westminster Dartford Orpington Cannock Wrightington Pontefract Clatterbridge Aintree Withington Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham

The government hopes they will provide and extra 250,000 operations a year by 2005, helping to cut waiting lists and leading to savings elsewhere in the NHS.

Operations like hip or knee replacement or the removal of cataracts are among the most commonly performed surgery in NHS theatres.

Patients referred to one of the centres will be able to choose the date and time of their initial appointment - usually within six weeks of referral - and arrange any necessary treatment at a time which suits them.

They will stay just long enough to recover from their surgery - often a matter of hours.

Mr Milburn said: "By developing these new services within the NHS and by drawing services from independent healthcare 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."

However, Mr Milburn has attracted criticism for plans to shake-up healthcare in the UK - particularly with the use of private funding.

Former health secretary Frank Dobson told the Independent on Sunday he welcomed the new NHS centres, but frowned upon the involvement of private companies.

Foundation hospitals

He said: "Generally it's a good thing because these places will crack on with dealing with cold surgery.

"They don't have to deal with accident and emergency, and they can keep going even if there is a flu epidemic.

"But I see no point in involving the private sector because it doesn't add to the number of doctors or nurses."

Karen Jennings, head of health at Unison said there was no doubt that patients would benefit from the extra services.

But she warned use of the private sector came with a heath warning attached.

"Private companies are now encroaching on every aspect of the NHS, draining resources and staff away from our national health service."

Shadow Health Secretary Dr Liam Fox said: "The Conservatives have always said that what matters is when patients are treated, and the quality of that treatment, not where it happens.

"We therefore welcome the involvement of the private sector in implementing NHS delivery.

"The fact that Alan Milburn has chosen to make this announcement when Parliament is not sitting shows not only his contempt for the Commons but also how he is running scared from his backbenchers."

Doctors' response

The British Medical Association welcomed moved to increase capacity and cut waiting times for patients.

A spokeswoman said: "Surgeons and anaesthetists find it extraordinarily frustrating when operations are cancelled because there are no beds available for their patients.

"Sometimes major planned surgery has to be postponed several times because of the pressure of emergency admissions and this is extremely distressing for patients who have prepared themselves mentally to undergo major surgery."