Potentially life-saving work at King's Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital in assessing blood clot risks means it's set to receive �250,000 extra funding.

Risk assessing patients and their likelihood to suffer Venous Thrombo Emoblisim (VTE) is part of a nationwide drive to see deaths fall from the current level of 25,000. VTE is the umbrella term for blood clots, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, all of which are potential killers.

VTE is now a national clinicial priority and the aim is that all adult patients admitted are risk assesed and, where appropriate, receive the right intervention.

The QEH has met the national targets and is in line for the cash payment as a result.

'I am delighted to report that results for November demonstrate we have achieved this target with 91pc. This is excellent news and reflects the continuing hard work by staff throughout the Trust,' said Elizabeth Macleod-Collins, anticoagulation specialist practitioner.

NHS trusts were offered an incentive payment in a bid to see VTE risk-assessing carried out on at least 90pc of patients by the final quarter of this financial year.

Work is also progressing at the QEH to offer clot-busting treatment to stroke patients 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

The hospital's stroke service was rated by the Dr Foster hospital guide as among the top six in the country, but thrombolysis (treatment with clot-breaking drugs) is only available during weekdays.

'We are very pleased indeed that we are now working quickly towards 24/7 thrombolysis. We are recruiting an extra stroke physician and specialist nursing staff to ensure patients are offered the highest quality of care,' said QEH medical director Geoff Hunnam.

Currently, patients requiring the drugs outside hours are taken to either Norwich or Cambridge for treatment but the new Lynn service is hoped to be available by summer 2011.