Chancellor Gordon Brown saved the announcement of an extra £500m for the NHS until the dying minutes of his Budget speech on Tuesday.

He said the money would be used to upgrade 'every accident and emergency department that needs it in every part of the country'. Money will also be spent on a further roll-out of the NHS Direct nurse-led telephone advice service, including 'drop-in centres on the high street'. The money is in addition to the£21bn announced in last year's Budget and will come from

'significantly lower than forecast' social security spending'.

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