HEALTH services in Darlington are to work together to provide care for thousands of people who suffer from mental illness in the area.

Statistics show that one in ten people can expect to suffer a mild-to-moderate mental health problem at some point during their lives.

Depression, anxiety or phobias can be triggered by life events, such as bereavement, divorce, childbirth or stress at work.

Until now GPs, counsellors, psychologists and the voluntary sector in Darlington have been working on their own to address the issues raised by mental health patients.

But the Darlington Primary Care Trust has brought the groups together to make mental health services more effective, which in turn should reduce waiting lists.

"We haven't been making the most of all these excellent services," said national service framework facilitator Sue Dixon, who has been responsible for the changes.

"This will help agencies to work more closely together to ensure people get access to the right service for them as quickly as possible."

The scheme involves voluntary sector groups such as Darlington Mind, Cruse Bereavement Care, St Teresa's Hospice, Relate and the Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre being able to access more services for clients.

Because of the social stigma associated with mental health, some people find it difficult to ask for help and many only confide in their GP.

For those with mild-to-moderate depression, specialist help is being made more readily available in every doctor's surgery. GPs will also be able to access services and advice from other agencies.

It is estimated that every GP in the town sees at least one person with mental health problems every time they hold a surgery.

Now GPs will be able to call on mental health nurses and social workers to give more extensive assessments of patients if they are required.

Mrs Dixon said: "If you are depressed, you are much more likely to visit your GP surgery than attend a hospital appointment.

"Previously, all these agencies knew the others were there, but they did not all talk with each other.

"Now that we have brought them all together, we can plan future developments more accurately."