The hospital opened to patients in December

Prince Philip met staff at the �170m Wiltshire hospital, the latest to be built under the Government's controversial Private Finance Initiative.

The hospital is hoping the occasion will mark a new beginning after it was hit with a number of negative stories since opening in December.

The hospital found itself in the headlines last month when it had to cancel a number of operations, despite prior warnings from local councillors and MPs that there would not be enough beds at the new hospital.

The hospital has now opened a new temporary ward and said it will be able to deal with twice the level of day surgery as its predecessor, the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Temporary ward

The Duke of Edinburgh was shown its state of the art facilities and visited a number of departments including accident and emergency and intensive care.

The hospital has 464 in-patient beds, 87 day-care beds, 10 operating theatres and two maternity theatres.

The formal opening marks the last day of outgoing Chief executive Sonia Mills, who is leaving the hospital for a new appointment in Bristol.

She said: "I am very proud to have been closely involved with the inception, planning, design and construction of this wonderful new hospital over the last five years."

The Duke of Edinburgh was also called upon to unveil a Jubilee memorial clock in Swindon town centre during his visit.