A BRAMHOPE man is to spearhead a new trust which aims to tailor health services to local needs.

Martin Drury, 54, has taken on the role of chairman of the newly-formed Leeds North West Primary Care Trust (PCT).

This will take over from the Leeds North-West Primary Group in April 2002 as the body governing GPs' surgeries and other primary care services in the area.

Now semi-retired, Mr Drury has been the managing director of a number of companies during his career, as well as being a governor of York College, and acting as a strategic management advisor to the board of Full Sutton prison.

He says the PCT will continue the work of the area's PCG, in tailoring health services in the area to the specific needs of the local community.

However, the PCT will have greater independence than the existing body, and will be able to decide how the area's allocation of health cash is spent. Leeds Health Authority will cease to exist as the Leeds area divides into five Primary Care Trusts.

The trust would have the power to 'buy in' a range of services it feels are particularly needed in the area.

Mr Drury said: "It's aimed to shift the balance of power to local frontline staff and patients. We already have a Primary Care Group in this area which has started to help get these changes of emphasis. We've got good facilities and excellent staff, but quite clearly there is potential for improvement.

"There are several building blocks to our society. One is education and another is the NHS. I am a passionate personal believer in it."

He said the first job the newly-formed PCT will be to take on the management and administration duties necessary to the running of health services.

But once the trust is up and running, it will be able to start concentrating on specific areas of health care it feels need to be developed or improved.

Mr Drury said areas which were likely to be focused on include mental health, health services for older people, children and families, coronary heart disease, cancer and learning disabilities - although these were likely to be targeted areas for all of the new PCTs across the Leeds area.

Although the trust will not be responsible for the re-building of the Wharfedale Hospital - which is the responsibility of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust - it will work closely with the Hospitals Trust.

"There is definite scope for working very closely with them," said Mr Drury.

He said he decided to stand for the role of PCT chairman after working in the public sector.

"My basic background is 30 years in managing industry. To go with that I've also had experience of the public sector. I've been involved with York College for five years. I have also helped the management of HMP Full Sutton, where I initially came in to help with their Investors in People status bid."