PLANS to merge four primary care trusts have been formally submitted for approval.

Under the proposals, one large authority would be created to cover the whole of North Yorkshire and the city of York.

The plans have been submitted to the North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority.

It will examine the proposal before submitting it to the Department of Health later this month.

The plans were drawn up following the publication of Commissioning a Patient-led NHS in July. The Department of Health document envisaged fewer primary care trusts (PCTs) with a different focus and more strategic responsibilities.

A spokesman for the four North Yorkshire PCTs said: "Our proposal is all about making the best use of the economies of scale and creating an organisation ready and able to meet the challenge of a changing NHS.

"North Yorkshire is the largest county in England, and a county-wide PCT will strengthen joint approaches with City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council - both of whom provide social services - and with other county-wide organisations including those in the voluntary sector."

The spokesman added that staff in the four PCTs are now being briefed about the proposals.

Councillor John Blackie, chairman of North Yorkshire County Council's scrutiny of health committee gave the proposals a guarded welcome.

He said: "I think everybody would have preferred to have their health care officials closer to home, but we are not going to be allowed to do that.

"The issue for North Yorkshire is providing health care in rural and deeply rural areas - it must be close to home.

"The PCTs haven't had a great dialogue with the GPs, so we have to make sure we get it right from day one this time."