RE your report about plans by the Woodlands Hospital, Morton Park, Darlington, for the country's first healthcare village (Echo, Sept 14).

It's astonishing to read of a large proposed expansion of medical and nursing facilities for NHS as well as private patients.

There are closed wards in all the hospitals of County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust, especially Bishop Auckland General Hospital, which is half empty despite only opening its new building in June 2002.

General practitioners have recently largely withdrawn from out-of-hours care. Who's in charge?

Dr Malcolm C Bateson, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham.