AMBITIOUS plans to modernise primary care across County Durham, including the flagship Easington Waterworks project, will be revealed next week.

Plans to turn the former waterworks into a Healthy Living Resource Centre are only part of proposals to invest millions in updating premises.

Outline details of no fewer than 38 schemes to build or improve health centres, community hospitals and surgeries across the county are to go before the board of County Durham Primary Care Trust (PCT) on Tuesday for consideration.

But only a dozen schemes have firm funding in place, and board members will be told that PCT officials need to do further work to identify ways of paying for the other schemes.

Considering the current financial squeeze in the NHS, this could result in delays to some projects.

The waterworks scheme will involve the £750,000 conversion of the discused building into a base for health initiatives in east Durham.

The project, in Paradise Lane, Easington Colliery, is one of many schemes across County Durham to provide new or refurbished premises for GPs, district nurses, health visitors and other healthcare staff.

The plans will involve construction work in every corner of the county, from Derwentside in the north to Teesdale and Easington in the south-west and south-east.

In her report, Sandi Haywood, acting director of corporate services for the PCT, points out that there has been "significant under-investment in buildings and facilities across primary care" and it is now national policy to ensure that health and social care should be provided from buildings which are "fit for purpose."

Projects where funding is in place include: Evenwood (new surgery); Barnard Castle (new community hospital); Bishop Auckland (new surgery); Stanley (new health centre and two surgeries); Wheatley Hill (new primary care centre); Seaham (new primary care centre); Peterlee (new primary care centre); South Hetton (new surgery); Newton Aycliffe (new health centre); Sacriston (new primary care centre);

Schemes where funding is still unresolved include: Cockfield (new surgery); Middleton-in-Teesdale (new surgery); Crook (health centre); Lanchester (new surgery); Murton (expanded surgery); Easington Colliery (new branch surgery); Shotton Colliery (new health centre) ; Pelton (new surgery); Sherburn (new surgery); Coxhoe (new surgery); Middle Chare (new surgery); Langley Park (new surgery) and Brandon Lane (new surgery).