A SHAKE-UP of services by a health group could see three of its four local surgeries replaced with one modern medical centre.

Auckland Medical Group hopes to centralise its services by moving to a purpose-built base in Bishop Auckland.

The move, which is the group's preferred option for redevelopment, would mean closing sites in the villages of St Helen Auckland and Coundon and at Cockton Hill Road, in Bishop Auckland.

Its fourth existing site, in Toft Hill, would stay open after the proposed move.

The group says it wants to provide the best possible modern health care to all of its patients but that some of its current facilities are out of date.

It believes that relocating most of its services to a main base would improve communication, staffing, help recruit high quality staff and provide better health care.

Before a decision about the proposal is made, there will be three months of consultation with patients and residents.

This will include public meetings at Manor House Hotel, West Auckland, January 11; Elgar Room, Bishop Auckland Town Hall, January 18 and the Community Centre, Wilson Avenue, Coundon, January 25. All start at 7pm.

If the base, on Watling Road, is built, it would offer the full range of primary care services to all patients and possibly a practice-based operating suite where GPs, with surgical qualifications, could carry out procedures.

Durham Dales Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the practice have considered where patients live, transport links, available land, new housing, opportunities for service development and the Disability Discrimination Act.

Andrew Kenworthy, chief executive of the PCT, said: "The PCT agrees that moving the Auckland Medical Group base and building a new medical centre is the best way for the practice to provide the best possible modern health care to all its patients.

"We want local people to help us determine the future of services provided by the group so we can provide services that will be of most benefit and value to the community."

For a copy of the consultation form, call (01388) 458835.