A PRIMARY care trust in north Durham has been officially recognised as a good place to work.

Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust (PCT) has been awarded Practice Plus accreditation - the highest level of the Improving Working Lives initiative.

The programme, set up by the Department of Health, aims to ensure everyone working in the NHS can enjoy a good balance between their work and personal life.

This achievement puts the PCT among one of the first NHS trusts in the North-East to establish the organisation as an "employer of choice".

The PCT went through a rigorous process that included the production of a self-assessment report, followed by a visit from an external team of peers to validate its accuracy.

Practice Plus accreditation is awarded to NHS organisations that have achieved a high standard in a number of key areas, such as flexible working, training and development equality and diversity child care services and healthy working.

PCT chief executive Andrew Young said: "This award demonstrates that the PCT has achieved a high standard when it comes to looking after the needs of staff."

Four non-executive directors have been re-appointed to serve a further term on the board of the Durham and Chester-le-Street Care Trust. They are Durham county councillor Brian Ebbatson, Professor Andrew Gray, Ann Hitchman and Paul Briggs.