HEALTH professionals in search of a cure for the North West Durham constituency's dismal health record have met their MP to add their views to a national consultation.

Hilary Armstrong, who is also the Government's Chief Whip, called the Healthier Lives meeting, with more than 60 health professionals, patients, members of primary care trust (PCT) boards, people from drugs and alcohol agencies and volunteers working in the community.

Reports from the meeting, held at Helme Park Hall at the weekend, will go to Health Secretary Dr John Reid through Labour's Big Conversation programme seeking public views on major issues. It was chaired by Ms Armstrong's husband, Dr Paul Corrigan, a special advisor to Dr Reid.

Calls for more resources to go into preventing poor health, including long-term funding, were among the messages she will take back.

Delegates wanted closer links between education and health, school sports facilities to be opened to the community, free entry for children to sports and swimming centres, healthier school meals, giving councils the power to ban smoking at work and in public places, extra school nurses and school screening programmes and better food labelling.

Ms Armstrong said: "Health is a huge issue and the message was very clear that PCTs should have a greater role in preventing illnesses like heart disease and cancer. We will follow this up in a range of ways through the Cabinet and through the health ministry."

The 2001 Census showed that more people in County Durham felt their general health was 'not good' or classed themselves as having 'limiting long-term illness' than in the rest of the United Kingdom.

In County Durham, Derwentside had the second highest rate of those in poor health, while Wear Valley was sixth.