THE body which funds care for thousands of Potteries families could become one of the first health trusts in England to sponsor an academy school.

Stoke-on-Trent Primary Care Trust – which oversees GP surgeries, dental practices and many other community-based health services – now wants to help run an independent state school in the city.

Today, officials stressed it would not lead to cash being diverted from frontline medical care into education.

The only way the plans can go ahead is if the Government agrees to waive the usual £2 million capital costs for sponsoring an academy or if the trust links up with another organisation to become a co-sponsor.

The Sentinel revealed in February that the PCT was in talks with Stoke-on-Trent City Council over possible co-sponsorship of a school.

The PCT is now writing to the Office of the Schools Commissioner to ask if it can submit a formal expression of interest.

PCT chief executive Graham Urwin said it was too early to say which school they could be backing.

But schools earmarked to be replaced with academies include James Brindley Science College, in Chell; Brownhills Maths and Computing College, in Tunstall; and Edensor Technology College, in Longton. Altogether, there will be five new academies created across the city over the next four years.

Mr Urwin believes there would be lots of benefits to getting more involved in secondary education.

He said: "We want to raise people's aspirations towards careers in the heath service and would be looking to offer work experience as well. The NHS is one of the biggest employers in the city."

Stoke-on-Trent has long been plagued with major health problems, but by helping young people to become better informed about these kind of issues, health officials hope they will pass key messages on to parents and grandparents.

Clive Rigby, headteacher of James Brindley Science College, today welcomed the PCT's interest.

He said: "If they wanted to sponsor a new academy here, I would recommend it to my governing body as a way forward."

Stoke-on-Trent PCT is thought to be the first primary care trust in England to look at sponsoring an academy.

So far, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's Hospital is the only health body to formally back a school. Its proposed new academy in Manchester is currently in the feasibility stage.

A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said she could not comment on whether Stoke-on-Trent PCT would be allowed to become a lead sponsor of an academy without contributing to the capital costs.