A NEW organisation responsible for health care across Swale comes into effect on Monday.

The Eastern and Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust replaces Swale Primary Care Trust as well as four others in the east of the county.

The new PCT will employ more than 4,000 staff, hold a budget of around £900million and cover an area of over 700 square miles, which includes 115 GP surgeries, 110 dental practices, 117 pharmacies and 80 opticians.

It will be the sixth largest NHS primary care trust in England, serving 710,000 people.

Chief executive Ann Sutton said: "We need to work more closely with local people and our partners to make sure we provide the very best services where and when people need them."

The PCT is based at Brook House, Chestfield, near Canterbury, which has been chosen for its accessibility to all localities in eastern and coastal Kent.