A NEW healthcare watchdog is to be based in the North-East, creating hundreds of jobs.

The Government has confirmed that the headquarters of the new National Care Standards Commission will be in Newcastle.

Intended to enforce higher standards, the commission will oversee the regulation of social care, as well as voluntary and private healthcare.

Apart from about 80 posts which will be created at the Newcastle headquarters, more staff will be needed at offices throughout the region.

Two offices will be based in Darlington - a Northern and Yorkshire regional office and another office covering Darlington and County Durham.

Cleveland will be covered by an office in Stockton, while the adjoining areas of Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead will be covered from an office in South Shields.

Some of the jobs are likely to be filled by existing inspectors and support staff, who are due to transfer to the watchdog from health authorities and local authorities.

The role of the headquarters will be to manage the work of the commission throughout England and Wales, while local offices will carry out registration and inspection.

Coming into force in April 2002, the watchdog will regulate services in care homes, children's homes, domicilliary care agencies, residential family centres, voluntary adoption agencies, independent fostering agencies, private and voluntary hospitals and clinics, nurses' agencies and day centres.

Tyne Bridge MP David Clelland said: "I am very pleased that the Government is continuing its policy of trying to decentralise these national organisations.

"This is a wonderful spin-off for boosting jobs in the region by bringing in an influential agency."