PLANS to give Teesdale residents a bigger say in the future of their health care have been given a mixed reception.

Members of Teesdale District Council discussed the proposed changes to health care in the dales as part of the national plan for the NHS.

During the meeting, councillors were told that the Darlington and Teesdale Community Health Council would be abolished by March 31, 2002, and replaced by a local patient advisory and liaison service.

Members heard they would take a more active role in the running of health care in Teesdale, with councillors required to scrutinise any planned changes in NHS services in the dales and monitor existing services.

But councillors were divided on whether the shake-up of the NHS outlined in the national plan would be practical.

Councillor Frank Wilson said: "It appears that we are expected to scrutinise everything, which is physically impossible. We must not forget that scrutinising the health service is a very difficult and serious job which needs experts.

"The Government is attempting to do something, and I accept that they had to move forward, but I think they are going about it the wrong way."

Councillor Ken Robinson said: "I welcome this plan. I can't say this is going to be easy to achieve because this is not going to be a quick fix, it will take years. But now the public and ourselves have a bigger part to play.

"We need to be involved at this stage, because this is the first time that elected members have been involved in the scrutiny of the health service.