HEALTH bosses have been reassuring patients about out-of-hours services in North Yorkshire.

Since the company providing weekend and evening emergency cover for North Yorkshire GPs went into administration before Christmas, the service has been run by the local National Health Service.

Discussions with the company, North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors (NYED), are continuing with a view to keeping the service going.

Following reports suggesting that some North Yorkshire family doctors lacked confidence in the ability of the NHS to run the out-of-hours service, local health chiefs issued a statement.

Speaking on behalf of the NHS project team negotiating with NYED, Penny Jones, chief executive of the Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust, said: "Discussions between the various stakeholders, the NHS project team and the NYED administrator are still going on to finalise the future of out-of-hours GP services in the various trusts that are contracted with NYED.

"In the meantime, the NYED service has continued to operate as planned. The trusts are grateful to NYED's staff and the GPs for their commitment and hard work at this particularly difficult time."

Ms Jones said the discussions concentrated on securing employment for the 200 staff who work for NYED.

She said: "Plans are still being finalised, but it is likely that staff in the primary care centres will move to individual trusts and vehicles will transfer to an ambulance trust."

"The call-handling side of the NYED operation has been put out to tender.

"When arrangements have been completed, a full announcement will be made."

It is hoped that the outstanding issues can be resolved by the end of the month. NYED provided weekend and evening medical cover for a large area of North and East Yorkshire, including Hambleton and Richmondshire.

Dr John Givans, secretary of the North Yorkshire Medical Committee, said the main problem with NYED was under-funding by the NHS.

He said North Yorkshire would be left with a scaled-down service, which would lead to patients having to travel further to see a doctor.