The solar panels are expected to save Mid Cheshire Hospitals around £9,500 annually, while also supporting the Trust's Green Plan.

Claire Liddy, chief finance officer Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust, said: ‘We're delighted to receive this funding for the solar panel project. It's our mission to provide unparalleled care for our local population and we know that placing sustainability at the heart of that is crucial.'

Following the trust's successful bid for £32,612 from the national funding pot, 100 solar panels are due to be installed on the roof of the Emergency Department by the end of this year.

The grant is part of £100m from Great British Energy for 78 NHS trusts which was announced in March.

Chief sustainability officer at NHS England, Chris Gormley said: ‘Thanks to the dedication of teams nationwide, the NHS has already implemented hundreds of projects that enhance energy efficiency and drive significant cost savings.

‘This groundbreaking new investment, across 78 NHS trusts on around 200 sites, will expand solar power generation within the NHS by over 300%, slashing energy costs by hundreds of millions of pounds.'