DOCTORS armed with vital health equipment could soon roam North Somerset villages as part of a massive review of rural medical services

DOCTORS armed with vital health equipment could soon roam North Somerset villages as part of a massive review of rural medical services.A new group has been set up to analyse what needs to be done to improve health services in villages and help isolated people get access to what they need most.The group, set up by North Somerset Council Primary Care Trust, wants to introduce 'mobile services and diagnostics' - where vital equipment like scanners could be driven to practices and patients' homes when they are needed, rather than admitting a patient to hospital.The trust has admitted it needs to do more to help people in rural areas of the district, especially the elderly.It set up the group after it held a series of meetings with North Somerset residents about their health service and how it could be improved.One of the problems residents said they had was not being able to get to practices. The trust has promised the new group will look at ways transport could be provided.The group, which has members from community groups and the Patients' Forum as well as the trust, will review all the practices and health facilities in North Somerset.A spokesman said: "The purpose of the group is to find out what is needed in the rural areas of North Somerset and find out where and why some people have problems accessing central services and what can be done to help them.