PLANS to shift resources from regional health authorities to new local primary care trusts have been revealed.

As part of the government's drive to modernise the NHS, 95 regional health authorities will merge into about 30 strategic health bodies by April 2002.

But the lion's share of NHS resources will go directly to the new grassroots primary care trusts to ensure the health needs of their immediate communities are met.

From next year, 75pc of the total NHS budget will be in the hands of these local health chiefs.

The Department of Health sees the move as a shift in the balance of power to put patients at the centre of its services.

Under the proposals, PCTs will form the cornerstone of the NHS, working in partnership with other organisations to deliver fast and responsive local health services.

The strategic health authorities will lead the strategic development of local health services and manage the performance of PCTs and NHS trusts working in their areas. Across the region, 13 health authorities will merge into four strategic health authorities.

In the North-East, County Durham and Darlington health authority will merge with Tees to become the County Durham and Tees Valley strategic health authority. North Yorkshire health authority will dissolve into a much larger body covering a wide area of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Consultation on the proposals closes on November 30, when all views will be passed to Health Secretary Mr Alan Milburn before a final decision is taken.

In Darlington, plans to transfer the primary care group into a trust in April are already well advanced.

Miss Linda Read, chief executive of Darlington PCG, spoke about the shift of power at last week's board meeting. She said: "Shifting the balance of power from health authorities to PCTs will bring support and resources to frontline staff.

"We are witnessing a change like we have never seen before."