PREPARATIONS are being made by South Durham Health Care NHS Trust for the possible introduction of the Euro.

The trust, which runs Darlington Memorial and Bishop Auckland General hospitals, has set up a euro project team to assess what would need doing if Britain opted to join the European Monetary Union.

The team will need to ensure the trust's financial systems are capable of handling the transition from sterling to the euro, and that it can control the transition process.

Public sector bodies, including the NHS, have been asked by the Government to assess the implications of introducing the Euro.

Alan Foster, director of finance and information, said: "It is important that the organisation is prepared for entering the EMU and that we have the appropriate systems in place.