HEALTH chiefs have announced a cash injection of more than £8.5m to improve primary care services in north Durham.

Derwentside Primary Care Trust (PCT) has spent the last few months working with medical professionals, patients and community groups to determine how best to spend the Government money.

It has decided that £1.7m will be used to improve access to hospital services and reduce waiting times, while £476,000 will be spent to develop and upgrade health care facilities.

Mental health services will be improved with a £315,000 boost and include more community-based services.

Cancer treatment will benefit from £100,000 for screening and care while £168,000 will go towards the development of children's services.

Wynn Griffiths, chief executive of the PCT, said: "Although we have not been able to tackle everything we would like to, we have been able to identify a very significant level of investment in new or expanded services across the Derwentside area.

"We are confident that our investment plan will help to improve health across Derwentside and ensure we provide services when and where people want to access them."

The PCT's investment plan will be monitored by its board and the professional executive committee to ensure that it delivers efficient and effective services.

Those who would like to find out more about the work of the PCT, and how it intends to improve local health services, are invited to attend the monthly PCT board meetings. The next one will be on September 27.

For a copy the PCT's plan for 2005/2006, contact the PCT on (01207) 594460.