THE country's first health-care village could be created in the North-East.

The Woodlands Hospital at Morton Park, in Darlington, aims to create a "one-stop shop" for patients where all their needs can be catered for on one site.

The multi-million pound project will comprise an 86-bed nursing facility, specialist needs unit, a step-down unit, where patients can recover from operations, and hospital visitor accommodation.

It is estimated the three-floor building, which would be built behind the main hospital building, will create about 100 jobs, including nursing and development of the site.

Hospital bosses say they have carried out consultation with the local healthcare community including primary care trusts and local GPs.

It is hoped the addition of the new unit will help the hospital, which has 38 beds, to provide an all-round service to a larger number of both NHS and private patients in the region.

Mick Hatton, the head of corporate strategy at the hospital, said: "What we're looking to do is create a one-stop shop for patients where everything is on one site.

"A patient can see a doctor and then be given an appointment for diagnostic treatment, which would take place just down the corridor.

"They can have an operation and then have the after-care all on site."

Plans for the facility have been submitted to Darlington Borough Council and Mr Hatton said if the planning process goes smoothly it is hoped it will open in January 2009.

Eventually, the hospital also hopes to have primary care facilities, such as GP surgeries, at the front of the hospital so that all diagnostic and treatment facilities will be available for patients.

When this is built it will be the first "health-care village" of its kind in the UK.

Mr Hatton said this will help drive forward the Government agenda, which aims to have separate stages of treatment readily available for patients.

It will also allow NHS patients a greater choice in where they can go for their treatment, as under the Government Choose and Book scheme, NHS patients can opt to be treated at the Woodlands Hospital if they want to.

Mr Hatton added: "We've worked closely with the health care community in developing this.

"New models of care like this will also drive the NHS to improve and the end result is that the winner is the patient and that's what we all want."