DOCTORS, business leaders and health officials met over breakfast in the first of two seminars to discuss ways of tackling ill health at work.

The seminars aim to draw up a picture of health-related issues in Easington and Sedgefield, the ways they affect people in their jobs and the problems facing employers and GPs.

The Employment and Health Group includes organisations such as EEF Northern, Easington and Sedgefield primary care trusts, East Dur-ham and Sedgefield Borough Business Services and the North-East Chamber of Commerce. It intends to handle the problems of long-term ill-health for employees and employers, to build links between business and the community, and to make the most of the NHS contribution to economic regeneration.

The first meeting took place at Hardwick Hall, Sedgefield, and will be followed by another at Shotton Hall Conference Centre, in Peterlee, on Thursday.

Joanne Holborn, head of legal affairs for EEF Northern, which represents the region's manufacturing industry, said: "These are import- ant events with a subject in everyone's interest. We want to build better links between business and local GPs, to improve the understanding of the problems facing employers with sick employees and GPs signing sick notes for the same employees.

"We will be investigating whether there would be a benefit in establishing an occupational health service, in line with the current proposals under the new GP contract.

"A healthy workforce means a healthy bottom line and the success of businesses creates benefits not only for the people who work there, but for the whole community."