A COUNTY Durham patients' group has given a cautious welcome to plans to merge two mental health services trusts.

The Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Forum for the County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust says it believes there could be gains if the trust merges with the Tees and North East Yorkshire trust.

The forum, an independent body that shadows the work of the trust, was given a presentation on the proposals by trust chief executive Sandy Taylor.

It says that any merger should show benefits to patients and the public.

Forum chairman Patrick Nethercot said: "People are naturally wary of change, especially when we have a three-star NHS trust, which is serving its patients well.

"But we feel that there are gains to be made in combining, to form a bigger trust which should bring benefits to patients.

"But it is important that these can be demonstrated, after a reasonable time period following the merger. The forum is presently discussing with the trust the best mechanism for achieving this."