HEALTH Minister Lord Warner ushered in a new era for North-East medical education on a visit to the region yesterday.

He officially opened the academic centre at James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, and unveiled a commemorative plaque.

The three-storey centre, which includes laboratory facilities, means Teesside has a world-class teaching and research facility for doctors and other health professionals.

Professor Rudy Bilous, clinical sub-dean, said: "When we started a decade ago we had half an office, an administrator and 20 to 30 students. Now we have got several hundred students, five to six staff and a dedicated teaching centre."

Prof Bilous said the centre complemented the recent expansion on the James Cook hospital site.

"This new building gives us a world-class teaching and research facility," he said.

South Tees Hospitals NHS trust chief executive Simon Pleydell said: "We're very proud of both the hospital and the new centre, which will play an important part in training tomorrow's doctors and for research."

Lord Warner also visited the West End Health Resource centre in Newcastle, which was one of the first healthy living centres in the North-East and offers a wide range of services.