Doctors in Yorkshire are to open a new private eye hospital in the face of long delays for surgery on the NHS.

Eighteen surgeons who work for the health service have raised �2m between them to fund the new Yorkshire Eye Hospital.

The centre is scheduled to open near Bradford early next year and will offer day surgery and other out-patient treatments.

We estimate that we will be able to provide 5,000 operations a year when we are established

Shaun Hallett, general manager

The surgeons hope to treat NHS patients as well as those with private medical insurance and those who wish to pay themselves.

Day surgery

It will have two operating theatres and a unit for treating diseases of the retina.

It will only treat adult patients and will not admit patients overnight.

Charges will be similar to those of other private hospitals in the area.

Lower charges will be offered to NHS hospitals wishing to use the facility to reduce waiting lists.

The surgeons believe they can provide 5,000 treatments a year at the new hospital. They estimate that 11,000 patients in the region are currently waiting for cataracts treatment on the NHS.

Shaun Hallett, general manager of the hospital, said the doctors would continue to work for the NHS.

"They are each an integral part of the NHS and they are all planning to continue to fulfil their contractual obligations," he told BBC News Online.

Mr Hallett said the hospital would help to reduce waiting times in the region.

"The majority of work will be cataracts surgery. Up to 10,000 cataract operations are required in this area every year but the NHS cannot provide them all.

"We estimate that we will be able to provide 5,000 operations a year when we are established."