A PATIENT was following doctor's orders when he got behind the controls of a mechanical digger yesterday.

Managers of Middlesbrough's Park Surgery enlisted the help of 95-year-old retired partner Dr Patrick Barclay, now a patient with his former practice, to launch work for the town's first flagship community health village.

The £7m development is a partnership between Park Surgery and Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust.

It will be the first building in the town, outside the hospital, to have operating theatres for minor procedures.

The building will have seven GPs, physiotherapy services, podiatry (chiropody) services, a musculoskeletal clinic and diagnostic and treatment facilities.

It is also planned to provide breast screening services and x-ray facilities.

The three-storey health village, located on the corner of Linthorpe Road and Park Road North, Middlesbrough, will also have a pharmacy and dental practice on the ground floor and parking for more than 100 cars.

Park Surgery practice manager Stephen Doyle said: "This is a very exciting project for us. What started out as me looking for a small piece of land to relocate Park Surgery has grown into a 3,600 square metre health facility covering 1.2 acres.

"When the development is completed, the very best in health care services will be provided from a central location in a quality 21st Century building.

"We are now looking forward to September 2005, our anticipated moving in date.''

Colin McLeod, chief executive of Middlesbrough Primary Care Trust, said: "Our future plans mean that people will no longer have to go into hospital for some of the more routine health services and will receive their treatment more quickly in a location nearer their home."