Almost £80m will be spent on improving mental health and learning disability facilities across Teesside, health officials have confirmed.

The Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust says it is the biggest ever single investment of its kind in health services in the area.

Schemes include replacing Middlesbrough's 106-year-old St Luke's Hospital and a £2m unit for Stockton.

Five primary care trusts were consulted about the plans earlier this year.

Also included in the £78m proposals are plans to switch adult and older people's mental health services from the University Hospital of Hartlepool to a new £5m unit in Hartlepool.

Moira Britton, chief executive of the Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, said: "This represents the single biggest investment in local mental health and learning disability services many of us will ever see, so it is important that we get it right.

"Listening to the views of our staff, service users, carers, local people and partner organisations is vital to ensure that we have the best possible buildings in which to provide the modern services local people deserve."

Since the formal consultation ended the trust has invited staff and carers to comment on two mock-up en-suite bedrooms based on designs for the new units.

It has also held a design workshop for people to give their views on the replacement of St Luke's Hospital.