PEOPLE in North Durham are being urged to give assessors their views on the area's hospitals.

The Commission for Health Improvement is running the rule over the North Durham Health Care Trust, which runs the University Hospital of North Durham in Durham and units at Shotley Bridge, South Moor and Chester-le-Street. As part of the assessment, the CHI wants to talk to local people to find out what they think about services.

The assessment team will spend 24 weeks building up a picture of what the trust is doing to ensure high quality care for its patients and where it might improve services. At the end of the review it will publish a report outlining what action needs to be taken.

CHI chief executive Peter Homa said: "These assessments are intended to celebrate success, address shortcomings and share good practice. We expect a great deal of learning to emerge from the experience and want as many people as possible to contribute their views."

Individual or small group meetings will be held in Durham on Monday, January 21; in Chester-le-Street on January 22, and in Consett on January 23. People can also give their opinions by phone, in writing or by e-mail. For more details, call the CHI on (0845) 6013012.