HEALTH watchdogs are calling for a strategy to be drawn up to counteract a "gross inequality" in the condition of doctors' buildings in Darlington.

Most practices in the town are operating in either new buildings or with recent extensions and improvements.

However, Darlington and Teesdale Community Health Council (CHC) yesterday heard about the "very poor" conditions at Park Place Health Centre, which has about 16,000 patients registered with three GPs' practices.

The council is hoping such problems can be tackled by the Primary Care Trust, which comes into power next April.

In a report presented to the CHC, the watchdog's chief officer Graham Girvan described the conditions he found when invited to visit the centre by one of its GPs, Dr John Hopkins.

"The fabric of the building is very poor and both his and his former partner, Dr (Elaine) Moore's patients are cared for in cramped conditions, with limited waiting areas that are also busy thoroughfares," it said.

Dr Hopkins said there had been unsuccessful efforts to find a new home for the practices for about four years and his calls for talks with the South Durham NHS Trust, which owns the building, had proved fruitless.

The trust is reluctant to put money into improvements because it hands responsibility for the premises over to the Primary Care Trust next year.

As well as a hole in the waiting room ceiling and the cramped surroundings, Dr Hopkins said: "The conditions for the reception staff are equally poor.

"They do not have access to separate toilet facilities, or a drinkable water supply."

Trust chief executive John Saxby told the CHC: "As this trust will be handing over responsibility for these premises next year, it's somebody else who needs to look at this problem.

"These are premises which should have either been completely renovated 20 years ago or got out of 20 years ago."