ST TERESA'S Hospice in Darlington is to receive an extra £50,000-a year from local health chiefs.

Last year, Darlington Primary Care Group agreed to support the hospice with an additional one-off £50,000 payment in recognition of an increase in use of its services.

Activity continues to increase at St Teresa's, so to maintain the level of service the primary care trust has agreed to increase its contract by £50,000 a year.

At yesterday's trust board meeting, members agreed to use £12,000 from the palliative care budget, and £38,000 from the Greenbank reserve - a pot left over from the closure of Greenbank Hospital, which was designated exclusively for the care of elderly patients.