A RADICAL move which could lead to the abolition of the NHS internal market is to be put on trial in East Lancashire, it was announced today.

Blackburn and Darwen area has been chosen as a pilot area for a scheme which could effectively destroy the Tories' controversial health reforms.

The project would bring together groups of GP fundholders (who manage their own budgets), non-fundholders, nursing staff and health authorities in a bid to revamp the way local healthcare is delivered to patients.

Health Secretary Frank Dobson, who announced the scheme at the Labour Party conference in Brighton today, said the new model of healthcare would mean the end of competition between individual family doctors.

The move was welcomed by Nigel Robinson, chief officer of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community Health Council who said the scheme could put an end to the "them and us" situation among GPs.

He said: "Instead of working as independent doctors, the GPs have agreed to work together for the benefit of patients. "We will have to suck it and see, but it sounds an exciting project."

Blackburn and Darwen will be one of six "commissioning pilot projects" in the North West and 42 in the UK. The scheme will start next April if arrangements between the Blackburn and Darwen GPs are finalised in time.

Mr Dobson said: "Out goes competition, with doctor set against doctor. In comes teamwork and innovation to raise standards right across the NHS. I am particularly pleased that GP fundholders and non-fundholders have expressed eagerness to work together for the benefit of patients.

"The old divisions are being replaced with a new spirit of co-operation to modernise the NHS."

The pilot scheme will try out different ways in which local communities could buy health services. The Department of Health chose areas which experienced a variety of issues including poor housing and significant ethnic populations.

Health watchdogs in East Lancashire have long expressed concern that the current system of fundholding has created a "two-tier" system of healthcare with some patients getting faster treatment than others.

GP fundholders control their own purse strings and can send their patients to out-of-town hospitals for treatment.

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