CHILDLESS couples across the world could benefit from a summit to be held in the North-East.

Papers on cost-effective infertility care are to be put before an international gathering of medical specialists by doctors flying in from Vancouver and Copenhagen.

Delegates from across the globe are heading for Teesside later this month to discuss ways of improving treatment offered to patients.

The conference has been organised by South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Medics from Germany, Belgium, France, Canada, Saudia Arabia and from around Britain will discuss how to pool the latest ideas on infertility care and how to improve the success rate of treatment, using what limited public funds are available.

There will be a workshop on male impotency and the most recent treatment methods, at the conference, on Friday next week, at the Thistle Hotel, Middlesbrough, .

Dr Ingolf Nielsen, scientific director from the Department of Reproductive Medicine at South Cleveland Hospital, said: "We are delighted to welcome the delegates to our workshop and look forward to a fruitful discussion.

"The conference provides an ideal opportunity for professionals to work together with the aim of improving infertility treatment."