Health spending boost welcomed

Nov 29 2007 by Audrey Barton, The Journal

A RANGE of health projects totaling £110m to benefit patients across the North-East have been approved by bosses.

The North-East’s Strategic Health Authority has given the green light to new schemes providing services in primary care, community health, mental health and learning disabilities.

“This is excellent news for patients,” said chief executive Ian Dalton.

“Services in the region are already of a high standard, but this will help us to go to the next level and to reduce some of the health inequalities that the North-East has previously experienced.”

A new primary care centre for Wrekenton, Gateshead, will provide a range of services to residents of High Fell, Chowdene and Lamesley, including two GP practices delivering care to more than 8,000 patients, a pharmacy, a community dental service and a genito-urinary medicine, contraception and sexual health service.

A proposal to replace the existing Stanley Health Centre with modern primary care premises providing an extended range of services has also been given the go-ahead.

Features of the new centre would include specialist clinics, services for children and for older people and emergency care.

A new acute adult mental health and learning disability facility in the north of County Durham will provide 60 adult in-patient beds, 16 learning disabilities beds, an out-patients suite, a psychology suite and supporting services, all in a high-quality environment.

An exciting project to redevelop adult and older people’s mental health inpatient services and forensic mental health and learning disability services on St Luke’s Hospital site in Middlesbrough has also been approved.

The £75m project will mean that the number of beds at the hospital will increase from 254 to 312. Work on the site is expected to start in January 2008, with a planned opening in 2010.