CHARITY grants for local health initiatives funded by the NHS will continue despite the abolition of the primary care trust.

County Durham and Darlington Primary Care Trust (PCT) will cease to exist tomorrow (Monday, April 1), replaced by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), but its charitable activities will continue as part of a new health fund.

Ahead of the reorganisation of the NHS, the PCT has transferred £300,000 to a new charitable fund, to be managed by the County Durham Community Foundation, which will support local health-related initiatives.

More than £700,000 has also been transferred to County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust to support projects linked to the community services it provides, while the remaining PCT funds will transfer to Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust.

In the last 15 months the PCT has supported 38 initiatives with funding worth £500,000, including projects to reduce stress for Dales farmers and a food bank in East Durham.

Jenny Flynn, chair of the trustees at the PCT, said: “The charitable fund has enabled us to help partners in the voluntary sector that support the health and wellbeing of our community.

“Once we started making grants from the fund it was very satisfying to be able to give to such diverse projects that have covered the county.”