AN Atherton doctor has prescribed hi-tech action to bring surgery treatment into the 21st century.

Dr Alastair Thompson is taking part in the first personal medical services pilot scheme in the area set up to give patients a better deal.

It will mean longer surgery hours, and consultations, appointments and repeat prescriptions via e-mail.

The shake-up is part of the objectives of the new Wigan Primary Care Trust which comes into being on April 1, and its chairman, Cllr Lynne Liptrot, was a guest at an open evening at the 7 Brooks, Church Street practice this week.

Dr Thompson, who arrived in Atherton from Glasgow in 1971, is looking forward to the new challenge.

He has spent six months setting up a web site www.doctor-al.com which will offer games and advice to patients young and old.

He said: "The new arrangements will mean the surgery will be open at times convenient to working patients, sometimes opening at 8am and closing at 8pm.

"The web site for children and teens will contain advice and offer games. I am sure teenagers will take more notice of Bart Simpson telling them to stop smoking than they would anyone else, so it should be good.

"We will be able to carry out consultations and answer any questions via e-mail. For confidentiality each patient will have a personal number that they can include on their correspondence if necessary so only the doctors will know who they are."

Staff at the surgery now includes a new female GP, Dr Jo Wilson, who has joined Dr Alastair at the practice which also has nurse practitioner Jackie Lawrence and mental health counsellor, Dr Alastair's wife, Lynne.