HEALTH Minister Lord Philip Hunt was in Leigh today to present an award for excellence to a family doctor.

Dr Morris Doublet-Stewart is just the second single-handed practice GP to be given the Quality Practice Award.

Lord Hunt, on a quick tour of the North-west, dropped in at the Grasmere Street Health Centre to present Dr Doublet-Stewart with the award. It was established six years ago by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Dr Doublet-Stewart said: "I thought it was important to have some external assessment of our health care provision and the QPA seemed tailor-made.

"We are only the second single-handed practice in the country to be awarded this, so it is a great achievement for the whole practice team." The practice has picked up accolades for its work with coronary heart disease and developing a patient information leaflet on hypertension.

The Minister visited Leigh before going to Manchester for wide-ranging talks on Primary Care Trusts which are expected to take over health organisation in the region by 2002.