THE county's under-fire out-of-hours GP service will be examined by councillors this week.

North Yorkshire County Council's scrutiny of health committee will look at the arrangements for evening and weekend doctors' cover tomorrow.

The inspection by councillors comes after the private firm responsible for the service went into administration last year.

Coun John Blackie, chairman of the committee, said: "There is considerable public anxiety across the county about the robustness of the GP out-of-hours service, to meet the needs of a rural area like North Yorkshire.

"Disagreements in public between the primary care trusts and the GPs about the exact reasons why North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors went into administration, have not helped to build public confidence in the out-of-hours service.

"We will be seeking reassurance from the primary care trust regards their plans for the future of the service."

He said members of the public were welcome to attend and to ask questions at the meeting in County Hall, Northallerton, at 10.30am.

Senior officials from the four primary care trusts in the county who have assumed responsibility for the service will be present

All county councillors have also been invited.