The new chief executive of a Darlington hospice charity has spoken of her plans for the organisation's future.

St Teresa's Hospice in Darlington has appointed Nicola Myers as the charity's new chief executive following a "rigorous" selection process.

Ms Myers began working for the hospice 11 years ago as a finance manager, before being promoted to finance director a few months later.

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She said: "I feel incredibly privileged to be on the next step of the journey, the next chapter. I'm really excited - I can't tell you how excited I am to meet this team.

"There are some challenges but I think that we've got the right team behind us.

"I think my values are really aligned with the values of the hospice. I would say my leadership style is compassionate, I act with integrity and that sums up what we do here at the hospice.

"It was very much the perfect fit. It's all about the patient."

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Chair of the hospice, Carol Charlton, said the board were delighted and confident with the appointment.

She said it was very important for the hospice to appoint someone who embodied the values of the charity.

Ms Myers said she believes hospice care serves a vital role to both the community and the wider health economy.

She said: "We are vital - every day I can the see the impact and difference our services make to the community, the patients, to the wider health economy."

She pointed to the 'rapid response' service offered by the hospice - which sees staff providing at-home care to patients and alleviating pressure on hospitals - as an example of the importance of hospices.

They said the rapid response team helped 1,500 people within Darlington and said without the hospice, this would not have been possible.

Ms Myers said the hospice is planning to offer more services to those in and around the company, and already supports patients in South Durham and North Yorkshire.

The team also provides hollistic care - offering family support and bereavement services for adults and children before and after death.

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Mrs Charlton said the hospice had achieved a 97 per cent rate of helping palliative care patients to pass in their preferred place of death.

She called on the NHS to fully fund the hospice's core services, and says the charity should be paid the same for a similar or equivalent service provided by hospitals.

She said the hospice provides extra services which are paid for through the donations they receive, and wants more money to go towards this rather than providing an extra bed for patients.