TEESIDE hospitals will benefit from £75,000 of improvements under a new health authority action plan.

The South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust has produced the plan, for the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough General Hospital and North Riding Infirmary, in response to Government demands for better standards.

Following assessments by the Patient Action Team, hospital trusts throughout Britain were given money to improve cleanliness.

While South Tees received a yellow rating, indicating that standards were acceptable, it was given an extra £75,000.

The team issued the trust with a report setting out its deficiencies. Now trust officials have drafted an action plan to determine where the money should be directed.

It suggests spending £2,000 on redecorating, furnishing and carpeting rest areas next to wards, £4,120 on replacing seating and tables in main reception areas, providing foliage and artwork along corridors, at a cost of £3,000, and spending £12,000 on cladding walls.

Other plans include improving wards by installing air purification systems, extra storage space, artwork, lighting and ventilation and adding new curtains and blinds to relatives' waiting areas.

The report suggests supplying large and small rubbish bins to visitors' toilets to ensure that waste is segregated.

It sets out the priorities of spring cleaning to be completed in one to four weeks, improving ward areas, in four to 12 weeks, general circulation, in six to 18 weeks, and grounds, gardens and car parks in eight to 22 weeks.

The trust's board will be asked to approve the action plan tomorrow.