AN EXTRA £4 million is to be invested in health services that residents and health professionals in rural County Durham want improved.

Durham Dales Primary Care Trust will use the cash to offer better access to services, carry out more operations and cut waiting times.

The trust's annual budget has been boosted by £6.625m to £83m for the next financial year which, after inflation and cost increases, leaves about £4m to expand services and develop new ones.

The funds come from £22.7m additional revenue which is to be invested in local health care over three years.

After months of consultation with hospitals, local authorities, social services, staff and residents the trust has created a three-year action plan, called a local delivery plan.

In the first year, 2003/2004, the main priority will be to improve access to GPs and nurses in practices, reduce hospital waiting times and improve accident and emergency services. A total of £1.4m is to be spent on this.

GPs are to be given access to the newest, most effective drugs available thanks to an extra £1.1m investment in prescribing, which should benefit people with heart disease and diabetes by providing access to new cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins and super statins.

Mental health services are be boosted, particularly for people with learning disabilities, dementia and the elderly. Cancer services are to be expanded to reduce waiting times for treatment.

About £500,000 is to be used to fund more heart operations and reduce waiting times for coronary artery bypass operations.

The trust also plans to use £100,000 of the extra funding towards building and renovation of health centres and community hospitals.

Andrew Kenworthy, chief executive of the trust, said: "We will pursue these aims with the resources available to us and demonstrate value for money, effective practice and innovation."

The trust also aims to achieve national priorities and improve health in the area, which has one of the country's worst health records, by tacking teenage pregnancy and smoking.

Copies of the local delivery plan for 2003/2004 are available on (01388) 458835, or at www.durhamdales-pct.nhs.uk