A TEESSIDE hospital team has a date with royalty.

Staff from the holistic cancer care centre at Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital are travelling to Bristol on Friday to meet Prince Charles.

The team is being honoured after being judged runner-up in the Prince of Wales Foundation of Integrated Medicine Award for good practice.

Staff use auricular acupuncture to relieve the unpleasant side effects of some cancer treatments.

The treatment involves inserting ten tiny needles at certain points in the ears to help with such symptoms as day and nighttime hot sweats, anxiety, stress and sleep disturbances.

Kim Lavely, chief executive of the Prince of Wales's foundation, said: "We believe that patients need access to properly qualified and competent integrated services, particularly now that one in five of the UK population are choosing to use complementary therapies.

"The foundation's awards are an opportunity for such initiatives to be publicly recognised.

"Our 2005 shortlist was diverse, but each of the projects was very inspiring."

The joint winners were a health project providing affordable complementary therapies to a community in Bristol, and a team of midwives in Nuneaton who have created a childbirth service that combines complementary and orthodox approaches.

The manager at the James Cook Hospital centre, Sue Stephenson said: "This is an invaluable service for our patients and, while I'm disappointed we didn't win, I'm still thrilled the team was selected as runner-up.

"We're looking forward to meeting His Royal Highness."