SOMERSET Health Authority has given its support to the creation of two new primary care trusts in the county - one of which will cover the West Somerset area.

The authority's decision comes after a three month period of extensive public and professional consultation, including ten public meetings.

Trust status means that existing primary care groups, including the Somerset Coast group which covers West Somerset, will be able to provide services on a more local level.

While primary care groups operate as sub-committees of the health authority, care trusts are free-standing organisations, accountable to the authority.

As well as ensuring local health and social care professionals have a central role, the trusts also commission hospital services and run most community services.

The final decision on whether to give the Somerset Coast and Mendip primary care groups trust status has yet to be taken by the Health Secretary.

However, if permission is given, the two trusts could be up and running by April next year.

Chairman of the Somerset Coast Primary Care Group, GP Dr Donal Hynes, said: "I expect NHS trust status to enable local health professionals to have a greater level of influence over the planning and targeting of health resources which will really meet the needs of local people.

"We will also be responsible for managing a budget of over £80 million and providing most community health services in the area."

He added: "I expect such services to benefit from closer working with social services so that we might continue to provide more integrated health and social care for local people."

The Somerset Coast group includes 23 GP practices and serves approximately 140,000 people living in West Somerset and Sedgemoor.

Chief executive of Somerset Health Authority, Jac Kelly, thanked everyone who had taken part in the consultation exercise and said the views of the public had played a key role in the decision taken by the authority.

She added: "Primary care trusts are key to the Government's modernisation programme for the NHS, devolving responsibility to those who are closest to patients and local communities to make decisions about the planning and delivery of health services based on the experiences and needs of the patients they treat every day."

If approved by the Health Secretary, the aim of the new trusts will be ensure resources are targeted towards those in greatest need, as well as improving hospital services and creating closer working practices between health workers and social services.