INDEPENDENT experts are being brought in to assess an under-fire health service in Morecambe Bay.

The Baycall' out-of-hours GP service is being reviewed because of growing concerns over patient access.

The service, operated by Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust, was launched last year to provide care for patients who need to see a doctor out-of-hours.

But now it is to undergo an assessment and improvement programme.

Trust chief executive Leigh Griffin says that the system has been difficult for some patients to access.

A service development manager is to be appointed to oversee the organisation.

But in the meantime an existing member of staff is taking a more hands-on' role within the service and the clinical leadership of Baycall is being reviewed.

Dr Griffin told a meeting of the PCT that there were new national quality standards for out-of-hours care and he wanted Morecambe Bay to be at the forefront for assessing how it was performing.

The PCT has agreed to be a pilot site for external assessment to find out how Baycall is delivering services. A report on the assessment is expected later this month.