A 15-bed intermediate care home is to open in Darlington next summer, to ease hospital bed blocking.

Darlington Primary Care Trust and Darlington Social Services have secured £634,000 from the Department of Health to build the residential unit in Hundens Lane.

With 15 intermediate care beds providing around-the- clock care seven days a week, the unit is aimed at patients who would otherwise face prolonged stays in hospital or inappropriate admission to hospital.

Led by nursing and therapy staff, the unit will focus on returning the patient to an independent life as quickly as possible.

It will also have additional facilities for carers.

Colin Morris, chief executive of the primary care trust, said: "This is exactly the kind of development which fits with the vision set out in the NHS Plan. It is about creating real alternatives to hospital admissions and improving direct services to vulnerable people, while at the same time enabling them to stay in their own community."

Councillor Bill Dixon, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member with responsibility for social services, said: "This goes to build on the close relationship between the primary care trust and social services, and is another fine illustration of what partnership working can deliver, following on from the success of the Greenbank development."

Running costs will be met equally by the primary care trust and social services.

A project team including representatives from the trust, social services and GP practices in the town is already in place to oversee the unit's development.

A design team is expected to start work on the project in the next few weeks, with a target opening time of May or June next year.