Doctors in Chelmsford have supported a primary care group's move to become a trust.

At present it is a sub-committee of the North Essex Health Authority comprising a partnership of local GP surgeries together with representatives from social services and other community organisations.

Becoming a trust would mean it becoming an NHS body in its own right.

Chelmsford GPs have voted on the proposal and 93 per cent of those who voted said yes to the proposed change.

Dr Brian Balmer, chairman of the North Essex Local Medical Committee, which organised the vote, said: "The verdict demonstrates the strength of GP support for the proposal. I wish it well with its application."

The public's views will also be taken into account.

David Gibbons, chief executive of Chelmsford PCG, said: "This is a tremendous show of confidence by the area's GPs and reflects the excellent working partnership which has developed between the PCG and the GPs during the past two years.

"Winning the support of GPs is a major hurdle cleared and reinforces the views of the public which is also very much in favour of change."

The PCG wants to become a trust from April next year.

If approved it would have its own budget, its own staff of community healthcare professionals and own and run local clinics.

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