SENIOR managers of the health service in North Yorkshire turned out in force at a public meeting to defend Wensleydale's out-of-hours system.

The North Yorkshire Emergency Doctors network took over responsibility for cover at night and weekends from local GPs last month.

Patients were advised that if they rang their local practice, an automated system would provide them with the network switchboard number.

Operators would take information and pass it on to a doctor who would then decide if the patient needed an ambulance, a home visit, or invite them to attend a clinic at the Central Dales practice, in Aysgarth or the former Duchess of Kent Military Hospital, Catterick Garrison.

Health chiefs were confident patients would hardly notice a change. But after a couple of weeks local councillors said they were already fielding complaints about the network and last Wednesday, about 100 people turned up at Hawes Market Hall to sound off at the parish forum.

The system has already been modified, with out-of-hours callers now transferred to the network switchboard without them having to hang up and redial.

The chief executive of the Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust, Chris Long, cancelled a trip to Belfast so he could be in Hawes.

He was joined on a panel of senior health officials by network chief executive Ian Robertson, chief executive of the Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service Jayne Barnes, manager at the Central Dales practice, Clive West and GPs from Aysgarth and Catterick.

One mother said she had been told to drive to Catterick in the early hours of the morning with her daughter, who was suffering an asthma attack.

But Mr Robertson said a survey showed network was largely satisfied with the service and, if anyone had a complaint, they should contact him directly. Ms Barnes also said if anyone was in any doubt about an out-of-hours call, they should call an ambulance.