Sedgefield Primary Care Trust (PCT) has appointed a community pharmacist to develop services for the people of the borough.

Jane Laws will drive the development of community pharmacy services by working with the 19 community pharmacies in the area.

In her role, Mrs Laws will be leading on projects and initiatives to involve community pharmacies in providing health care, improve medicines management services and help patients get the best from their medicines.

She will be working to introduce services which will help to improve access for patients and make their lives easier.

This will include repeat dispensing services, an out-of- hours service and a minor ailment scheme to give people the chance to obtain medicines direct from their pharmacy without a prescription.

Nigel Porter, chief executive of Sedgefield PCT, said: "Jane will have an important role to play in the development of community pharmacy services in Sedgefield borough, helping patients to get the best from their medicines and improving access to local pharmacy services.

"Jane will be part of an important team who will support practices and community pharmacies in meeting the prescribing and medicines management agenda in the future."

Mrs Laws said: "I feel I have been given a very exciting opportunity to develop services between health care professionals and improve patient care within the PCT."