A health trust could be scrapped in a move managers say should improve services to part of North Yorkshire.

Consultations have been launched about winding up Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust and transferring hospital services to South Tees Hospital NHS Trust.

North Yorkshire Health Authority is also looking at creating a new Primary Care Trust for Hambleton and Richmondshire, replacing the current Primary Care Group.

According to Bruce Skilbeck, the acting chief executive of Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust, the new trust would have greater powers for spending money in the community and ultimately provide a more effective service which would give patients better treatment.

He said that scrapping the Northallerton NHS Trust would not affect services at the Friarage Hospital in the short term, but that acute services would be linked with the South Tees Hospital NHS Trust.

Updated: 10:50 Thursday, June 14, 2001