A SEARCH has been launched to find and recruit "champions of health" from among the public on Teesside.

The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health is looking to recruit people for 600 Patient and Public Involvement Forums one for every primary care trust and NHS trust in England. They will replace community health councils.

Age Concern Teesside has been awarded the contract to establish local health forums and to support panel members.

Working with Age Concern Scarborough and Age Concern North Yorkshire, a team of development workers will be appointed to cover the Teesside and North Yorkshire area.

Dave Punshon, the chief executive of Age Concern Teesside, said: "This is a really exciting project with the real possibility of allowing the public to influence the wider health agenda.

"Applications are being sought throughout the area from people of all ages over 18 and from all walks of life."

NHS trusts included in the project are Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, North Tees and Langbaurgh primary care trusts, and South Tees, North Tees and Hartlepool acute trusts.

The forums are designed to encourage participation from patients and the public. Forum members will encourage others to get involved, find out what local people think about health, watch over the quality of healthcare, and help make healthcare decisions.

Commission chief Sharon Grant said: "The arrival of the forums presents a unique opportunity to put the public at the centre of health, and to reform the whole culture of healthcare.

"We are standing by to receive large numbers of applications from all sections of the community who want to be forum members."

To get involved in the forums, go to www.cppih.org