DAVID Cameron this week shunted Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to one side and put his personal stamp on reforms to the National Health Service.

Announcing changes to plans which had attracted widespread criticism from health professionals, the Prime Minister has staked his political future on getting it right on the NHS.

I welcome the fact that Mr Cameron has listened to concerns from those at the sharp end of the NHS and changed tack.

But the proposals for the health service remain a priority area of public concern - and it is our intention at The Northern Echo to hold the Prime Minister to account on this week's promises.

For the year ahead, and possibly beyond, we will do our best to monitor what is happening to the NHS amid the Government's austerity drive.

And we want our readers - patients of the NHS and people who help provide a service which is the envy of the world - to help us provide a fair and comprehensive assessment.

We want to hear about the successes and the failures via a section on our website which can be found at www.northernecho.co.uk/healthwatch