A NEW health authority has pledged to focus on four Rs - regeneration, relationships, resources and renewal.

County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority was launched on April 1 as part of the Government's plans to modernise the NHS by giving staff and patients greater power.

It replaces County Durham and Darlington Health Authority and Tees Health Authority, and its work programme, known as the Franchise Plan, was agreed at its first meeting on Wednesday.

Ken Jarrold, whose appointment as chief executive was also confirmed at the meeting, said: "The health authority will focus on four work programmes in response to four major challenges.

"Resources alone will not ensure the achievement of targets. Major changes in personal and organisational behaviour and culture are required.

"Changes in delivery mechanisms will also be needed - who provides services, how and where services are provided."

The authority pledged to regenerate the area, in which 208 wards are among the top 25 per cent for health deprivation, forge relationships with colleagues in the National Health Service, local government and the statutory and voluntary sectors, make the best use of its annual resources and make organisational changes.

Mr Jarrold said: "The NHS plan set out a long-term programme for reform and performance improvement in the NHS. Delivering this agenda requires real change in the way the NHS works."