A NORTH-EAST primary care trust (PCT) has opted to go it alone in a proposed shake-up of the NHS.

But Easington PCT's decision to vote against merging into a single county-wide trust flew in the face of advice from its chief executive, Dr Roger Bolas.

Despite Dr Bolas' recommendation that the trust should become part of a super PCT in County Durham, board members voted seven to four to keep its current status.

Along with neighbouring trusts, Easington has been considering its position after the Government announced its £250m cost cutting plan, Ensuring a Patient-led NHS.

Proposals for the region include the formation of a single Strategic Health Authority (SHA) for the North-East, an alignment of the North-East ambulance service to co-incide with the boundaries of the new SHA, and the establishment of a single County Durham and Darlington Primary Care Trust.

A consultation exercise has been under way in all Trust areas, which showed people in Easington were firmly against the merger.

At an extraordinary meeting of Easington PCT's board on Tuesday, members decided unanimously to back the SHA and ambulance service shake-up.

Dr Bolas also proposed they agree to the merger of the PCTs, but an amendment by the board's non-executive Director, Councillor Robin Todd, urged the retention of the trust's present status.

And following the seven-to-four vote supporting the amendment, Dr Bolas said: "The decision to recommend maintaining a separate PCT in Easington reflects a desire by the board and people who opposed the merger plans, to continue the local advances achieved to date."

Darlington and Hartlepool PCTs have already expressed a desire to remain outside a merged PCT.

A final decision on the future of the trusts will be made by Secretary of State for Health Patricia Hewitt.