FORMER Health Secretary Alan Milburn has made an outspoken attack on Government plans for a radical shake-up of local health services.

The outburst puts him on collision course with NHS chiefs.

The Darlington MP has condemned what he called a "ludicrous, bungled and ill-thought-through plan" to merge Darlington Primary Care Trust with a larger body.

Mr Milburn, who came up with the idea to have locally-focused primary care trusts, reacted with fury when he was told that Darlington was likely to be swallowed up by a single, County Durham-wide PCT.

Merger proposals that would strip local communities of their NHS organisations have also been criticised by leading councillors from Hartlepool and Easington.

Mr Milburn said: "I will fight it all the way. They have no case for stripping Darlington of financial control over its health services.

"If patients, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, are to get the care they need, local health and social services need to work together.

Having decisions about social services taken in Darlington, but decisions about health services taken in County Durham, is a recipe for total confusion."

The proposals - which are said to be the "emerging consensus" in the region - are part of NHS reforms ordered by the Government.

Intended to cut management costs and redirect resources to the front line, the changes would reduce the number of primary care trusts and merge strategic health authorities.

If possible, the new NHS territories should coincide with councils providing social services.

If the proposals go ahead, the 15 primary care trusts and one care trust between Berwick and Darlington could be replaced by four trusts.

In North Yorkshire, a single trust could replace the four primary care trusts serving the area.

John Williams, leader of Darlington Borough Council, said any plan that merged the town's PCT with County Durham "was wrong" and "ill-considered."

Tomorrow, Darlington councillors are expected to back a recommendation that representations should be made to the strategic health authority presenting "a strong case to retain a PCT that is coterminous with the borough boundaries".

Since the town was given its own PCT three years ago, there have been significant gains in terms of joint working to improve health services for local people, according to a report by council chief executive Ada Burns.

Joint working led to a significant reduction in the rate of teenage pregnancies, more effective drug and alcohol treatment, a strong public health role and integrated services for older people, people with mental health needs.

In Hartlepool, thousands of people signed a petition in protest at proposals that could have closed their local hospital.

Now the town faces a new threat of having its PCT merged with a Tees-wide body. In common with Darlington, Hartlepool is a unitary authority providing social services.

Councillor Ray Waller, a cabinet member of Hartlepool Borough Council said: "It is quite straightforward - the best way to meet the local needs of local people is to retain a PCT which is coterminous with our boundaries."

He was echoed by Councillor Robin Todd from Easington District Council.

Coun Todd said: "Over the past three years since the PCT was set up, we have seen a great step forward in the district's health services."

Easington had some of the worst health problems in the region and having its own PCT had helped to improve provision, he said.

"We want to see the momentum maintained. We want to make sure the focus remains on Easington."