BAINBRIDGE ambulance station should play a central role in out-of-hours GP arrangements, a review of the system has concluded.

The base would be a satellite of the primary care centre at Catterick Garrison, saving patients a 50-mile round trip for emergency medical attention.

The idea is among recommendations drawn up by Richmondshire District Council community and environment overview and scrutiny committee.

Others include moving the primary care centre from the garrison to Richmond's Friary hospital and ensuring an ambulance was at Bainbridge during out-of-hours times.

The committee, which finalised its report on Wednesday, said the ambulance station should be used by paramedics and emergency nurse practitioners for initial patient assessments.

The duty doctor would then see the patient there if necessary.

Some Saturday surgeries should be held at the site, particularly over bank holidays.

Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust should make people more aware of how to complain and Government funding should be sought to improve rural cover.

The committee was asked by North Yorkshire County Council health scrutiny committee to review new arrangements for emergency doctor cover in the dales. On October 1, responsibility for the service passed from the Central Dales Practice at Aysgarth to the PCT.

The new arrangements prompted complaints from patients that the system was inadequate.

The committee report, which awaits approval by the full council, concluded that Dales people were very fearful. "They seriously believe that they do not have a service they can call upon. There is a lack of faith in the service."

Nearly a third of the upper dales population was aged over 60, many lived alone and had great difficulty travelling to Catterick. The primary care centre was difficult to locate, and patients had to give their names to a soldier at the gate before being admitted.

Coun Yvonne Peacock, committee chairman, told the meeting of a mother who was told to attend the centre with her eight-year-old son, who has a serious history of asthma.

The duty doctor did not know the child's history but prescribed antibiotics and told the woman to take her son home and put him on his nebuliser. The child deteriorated and the mother rang again. A different doctor said the child should be hospitalised and needed oxygen.

As the Bainbridge ambulance was not available, the woman was told to drive her son to hospital in Northallerton and, if he worsened, to knock at someone's door and ask to use their electric to plug in the nebuliser.