NEW arrangements for patients seeking urgent out-of-hours medical attention will be implemented across north Durham by autumn.

Most family doctors are handing responsibility for night-time and weekend call-outs to their local primary care trust (PCT).

The service will be implemented regionally from April 1, under contracts being phased in for GPs.

Patients can expect to be treated by an emergency care practitioner.

Calls to a central phone service will be assessed by a trained operator and options will include advice over the phone or a visit to an out-of-hours emergency care centre.

The centres will be based near existing hospital accident and emergency departments.

In Derwentside, there is expected to be a transitional period phased in over the later summer months until the system is implemented.

A Derwentside trust spokeswoman said: "This PCT will assume responsibility from July 1 and implement the new model over a period of months."

Durham and Chester-le-Street PCT expects the system to start on September 1, with Easington PCT following on October 1.

The out-of-hours phone number to use from April 1 is 0780-240 6518.