PLANS for new hospitals and reorganised health facilities to cope with a growing elderly population in East Cleveland were unveiled this week.

Langbaurgh NHS Primary Care Trust unveiled joint plans with Redcar and Cleveland Council for Guisborough, Redcar and Brotton hospitals.

The project will be funded under the Private Finance Initiative, and the new hospitals should be open in three years.

Dr John Doherty, PCT chief executive, announced the news at Guisborough on Wednesday. He said NHS and council staff were equally upbeat about it. The two organisations had held detailed talks based on recommendations made by a consultancy firm.

* Guisborough General Hospital and Luke Senior House would be redeveloped.

* The Stead Memorial Hospital and Wheatacres home at Redcar would be replaced with a new hospital and doctors' surgeries.

* The East Cleveland Hospital at Brotton would be improved.

Dr Doherty said: "This ground-breaking partnership provides an excellent opportunity for the co-ordination of health and social care to meet older people's needs.

"This is not a culling of services, it's an improvement. Everyone is very positive and James Cook University Hospital is also 100pc behind us."

From the area's 100,000 population, the number of people over 65 would rise from 7,600 to 9,300 in the next few years.

No detailed costs were unveiled, but Coun David Walsh, leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said the necessary funds existed.

A wide consultation process would take place and work would start in 18 months.

Linda Dunn, a ward manager at Stead Memorial Hospital, said: "We will have a total health facility under one roof. All staff will be together and that has got to improve work."

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