ST TERESA'S hospice in Darlington is to receive a cash boost of £50,000 to secure service expansion in the light of a three-fold patient increase.

Over the past four years, the number of patients receiving care at the hospice has risen from just over 1,000 to more than 3,300.

This has stretched funds and could impede future cancer care service development.

Yesterday, board members of Darlington primary care group agreed to invest £50,000 from a fund called the Greenbank Reserve to push forward the development of up to five active treatment beds planned for next year.

The reserve was created as a result of the closure of Greenbank elderly people's hospital in 1994 and is used to develop the care of older people across County Durham health authority.

The one-off cash injection was given on a non-recurring basis but the PCG hopes to fund the hospice each year by a similar sum dependent on available resources.

Mrs Linda Bailes, PCG primary care development manager, told the D&S Times that the active treatment beds were the final piece of the palliative care jigsaw.

She said: "We want to help the hospice develop these beds and in the next financial year we hope to be able to create a recurring stream of funding from the PCG.

"Active treatment beds will be a fantastic resource for the town because they enable patients to receive chemotherapy and symptomatic treatments at the hospice instead of having to go into hospital. For some it will also provide a respite service.

"At the moment, the hospice is spending money on increased patient activity and is not able to pursue developments."

Palliative care services in Darlington currently consist of 24-hour district nursing, Marie Curie and Macmillan nursing services, a haematology unit at the Memorial hospital and St Teresa's Hospice at Home service.

Mrs Bailes added: "The £50,000 will allow the hospice to start work on developing these beds which, when operational, will finally provide a comprehensive portfolio of palliative care services."