PEOPLE living in far-flung parts of Richmondshire were this week given assurances on how a new out-of-hours doctors' service will work.

The Aysgarth GP surgery has been earmarked as a satellite centre for the upper dales.

This will be used as a meeting point for people who call out a doctor at night or weekends.

For patients who use the Hawes surgery, where doctors have been providing their own out-of-hours cover, there was a pledge that the new service would be "at least as good as the one they now enjoy".

But at a meeting of a Richmondshire District Council scrutiny committee on Tuesday, concerns were expressed at the likely loss of Saturday morning clinics and the need to monitor the major changes taking place.

Members of the community and environment scrutiny committee have produced a report on doctors opting out of the out-of-hours service from April 1 and the impact on residents.

They have also tried to guide Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust, which will take charge of the service.

PCT chief executive Chris Long said most people in Richmondshire at present received an out-of-hours service from North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors. Only two practices, in Hawes and Great Ayton, do not use this service. Hawes handles its own cover and Great Ayton is part of another arrangement.

But from April, the Hawes doctors will join NYED.

Mr Long said Hawes and the upper dales were the "wicked issue".

"People there have been lucky to get a service from dedicated GPs and we must ensure the service these patients get is at least as good as the one they currently enjoy," he said.

He promised the PCT would monitor the situation very closely. Mr Long outlined how the system would work, spotlighting the use of fully-equipped vehicles with trained drivers and taxis in certain cases. He said the system was in place in isolated areas elsewhere and had worked well.

"A lot of money has been spent on the upper dales area and another £30,000 is being invested to make this service work up there," he said.

But he warned there was no guarantee that every time people would be seen at Aysgarth.

"Doctors have to be allowed some latitude," he said.

In its report, which was begun before doctors voted on new contracts, the committee said people might have to attend a centre which could be up to 20 miles away and that transport was a concern.

Chairman Coun Yvonne Peacock said: "Any new patient centre should be based within local practice areas so people do not have to travel outside their areas."

Among other things, the committee wants to see doctors either answering the phone or calling patients back within 15 minutes. Members also want home visits continued and transport for those who need it.

Coun John Blackie, chairman of the county council's health scrutiny committee, said: "The out-of-hours service in the upper dales has been through the personal sacrifice of the doctors concerned.

"We are lucky to be served by an excellent PCT which has delivered the upper dales a service similar to the one we have enjoyed."

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