THE £20m West Park mental health hospital is the most advanced in the country, say health bosses.

The Darlington hospital, which accepted its first patients this week, is certainly impressive.

With en-suite bedrooms for every patient, access to gardens, a gym and high-quality fittings and furniture, the spacious hospital could easily be part of the private sector.

But Sandy Taylor, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust, insists that only the best will do for people with mental health problems.

"When this place opens shortly it will be the best facility of its kind in the country," said Mr Taylor, who has overseen a dramatic improvement in the quality of mental health provision in County Durham and Darlington in recent years.

"People with mental health problems deserve the best facilities," said Mr Taylor, who used to be a mental health nurse.

The hospital, which will replace outdated facilities at the Pierremont Unit, Darlington, the Beaumont Ward, part of Darlington Memorial Hospital, and the Gables Unit, in Sedgefield, is certainly a hit with Jim Turton, a clinical team leader whose career dates back to the days of the now demolished Winterton Hospital, an old-style Victorian asylum.

"These are exciting times for mental health," said Mr Turton.

"We have seen massive improvements. It is particularly great that this new hospital has lots of garden space, which was one of the good things about Winterton we lost."

Dorothy Whitlock, commissioning manager for the West Park project, said she was thrilled at being able to offer dramatically improved facilities to patients.

One of the most striking features of the ultra-modern hospital is the large circular central garden, which provides patients with secure access to fresh air.

The hospital has 60 bedrooms for adults, as well as 24 bedrooms for older people, ten intensive care and 15 special care bedrooms.

Some concerns have been expressed at plans to close the five-bed Tony White intensive care unit at the County psychiatric hospital, in Durham, and transfer patients to the new hospital.

But Mr Taylor said he was sure anyone visiting the hospital would realise the move made sense because of the vastly improved facilities.

He said detailed proposals to build a similar facility in north Durham are to go before the trust board next month.