The ward is at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI) and cost �175,000, raised by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

It is made up of four bedrooms with en-suite facilities and a designated area of care for patients coming in for day treatment.

Nurse June Dyer said: "The new unit should give more suitable accommodation for this group of patients."

Roy Barnes, chief executive of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: "We welcome the decision by the BRI to create this ward, which is vital for the treatment and care of those with CF in the area."

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that affects organs in the body, especially the lungs and the pancreas, by clogging them with a sticky mucus making it difficult to breathe and digest food properly.