PATIENTS in the region should receive faster treatment after the NHS backed a pilot scheme to improve plastic surgery services.

A team at the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, in Middlesbrough, will look at ways of improving patient referrals.

The Teesside trust was one of 33 successful centres out of nearly 200 which applied for a share of £3m.

Consultant plastic surgeon Martin Coady, who is based at James Cook University Hospital, said the aim was to improve efficiency and remove bottlenecks in the system.

As part of the plan, the hospital will recruit a number of family doctors willing to undergo training so they can carry out a wider range of minor surgical procedures.

GPs will also be trained to recognise conditions which should be referred to a plastic surgeon, rather than to a dermatologist, cutting out unnecessary referrals.

Mr Coady said: "About 30 per cent of our referrals are from hospital dermatologists rather than GPs."

Once changes are made, it should lead to more patients with minor problems such as cysts, moles and skin tags being treated at their GP's surgery, rather than having to go to hospital, freeing up operating theatre capacity.

The initiative is part of a programme run by the NHS Modernisation Agency.

Programme director Nick Evans said: "South Tees submitted strong proposals for change. I look forward to working with them to turn those proposals into reality."