A RAFT of proposals aimed at improving GP services for a Derwentside community have been endorsed by councillors.

The recommendations for the new Stanley Health Centre, which are at the early stages of discussion, include recruiting more doctors and nurses and reorganising the service to provide better access and choice.

The Derwentside Primary Care Trust (PCT) has already appointed two GPs to begin work in October and a further three advanced practitioners or "super nurses", to supplement two taken on earlier this year.

The health scrutiny sub-committees of both Derwentside District Council and Durham County Council have endorsed the plans for the new Stanley Health Centre - the site of which has yet to be decided.

But members of both committees urged the PCT to ensure they consult fully with patients before implementing any changes - a commitment the PCT has given.

The area has six GP practices working from shared areas within the Stanley Health Centre.

All except one are run as branch surgeries, with their main surgeries in Craghead, Burnopfield, Annfield Plain and Dipton.

In a report to the scrutiny committees, Derwentside PCT chief executive Wynn Griffiths said each practice had identified problems of "grossly inadequate space" aggravated by limited sharing of clinical facilities.

He said the inevitable split site working in all practices resulted in fragmentation of care for patients and a poor use of doctors and nursing time.

There was also a poor history of recruitment and retention, which was likely to get worse with pending retirements.

The PCT is proposing to reconfigure GP services over the next three years for when the new Stanley Health Centre becomes operational.

This model would reduce split-site working of existing GPs and nurses, and increase the recruitment and retention of GPs and nurses into the centre and surrounding area.

County council head of scrutiny Ian MacKenzie said: "We have emphasised to the PCT that before they put any proposals in place they have to consult with patients it is going to affect - and try to listen to what they have to say in shaping the proposals."