Jack McConnell gave the guarantee in the Scottish Parliament the day after Chancellor Gordon Brown announced an additional £8.2m for spending in Scotland over the next five years.

The funding increase is targeted at health spending, although the decision on how the money is spent north of the border rests with Holyrood.

This is a massive step change in investment - an increase of almost 50% in the budget for health over the next five years Jack McConnell First Minister

The Scottish Cabinet met on Thursday to discuss the priorities which will influence how the extra money will be spent.

And Mr McConnell moved quickly to tell MSPs that the additional cash would be allocated to health.

He said: "We have been presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest in health and health care in Scotland.

"We will seize that opportunity. With investment will come reform and results."

He said Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm would ensure the investment would improve standards, shorten waiting times, and improve choice for patients.

Additional investment

And he stressed that ministers had backed immediate action on modernisation and reform.

The additional cash announced by the chancellor will boost the Scottish coffers by £224m next year, followed by bigger rises in subsequent years.

This will culminate in an increase of £3.2bn in 2007, bringing the total additional investment to £8.2bn.

John Swinney called for better pay

"When Cabinet met this morning, we agreed to allocate these consequentials on health spending to health in Scotland," confirmed Mr McConnell.

"We will set out the detailed allocations in September.

"This is a massive step change in investment - an increase of almost 50% in the budget for health over the next five years."

Mr McConnell said there would also be more money for other services in July.

Following the statement Scottish National Party leader John Swinney called for NHS staff in Scotland to be paid more than their English counterparts.

"We have a chronic shortage of staff in the NHS and one of the reasons is that we don't pay high enough salaries," he said.

Key points

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Budget at a glance

The Tories' deputy health spokesman, Ben Wallace MSP, said: "By throwing money at the NHS without first initiating fundamental reforms Jack McConnell is taking a huge gamble."

He said that with Scotland topping the European health spending league, patients should be able to expect similar, if not better, care than that experienced by those on the continent.

"Labour's record provides no cause for optimism," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Chisholm announced that a national waiting times database would be available over the internet, showing GPs which parts of Scotland have the shortest waiting times.

The database will also include information about spare capacity in the private sector.

Doctors will then be able to refer patients to the hospital providing the most appropriate treatment in the shortest time, wherever it is located.