A NEW health clinic opens next week for people in a suburb of Durham.

The Framwellgate Moor Community Health Clinic in Front Street will receive its first patients on Tuesday.

Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust funded the development to replace the clinic in Priory Road, which was built in the 1950s and needed refurbishment.

The new clinic will offer the same services as the old one, and will have a new podiatry clinic and provide a base for health visitors and midwives.

Maureen Sullivan, assistant head of community nursing services for the trust, said: "This investment will help improve the quality of community services in the area."

Primary care development facilitator Theresa Huddart said: "The trust is working with GP practices on a number of developments to improve the quality health care in our area.

"In the past month, fantastic premises have been completed and opened to patients at Meadowfield and Bowburn.

"Dr Nair's surgery in Pelton Fell has also been extended over the past few months.

"Other premises are undergoing extensive refurbishment, such as Cestria Surgery, in Chester-le-Street, and work is expected to be completed by December.

"Refurbishment work will also commence in the near future at Bridge End Surgery, Chester-le-Street.

"These modernisation programmes will help the trust and front line staff working in GP practices and clinics to provide high quality health care in spacious, up-to-date facilities."