Bradford could be among the first places in the country to launch a teaching trust for family doctors.

The city is bidding to become a Primary Care Teaching Trust which would mean extra cash to spend on training for community doctors, nurses and other linked staff.

The aim is to help with the recruitment of health professionals to work in the inner city area - which has some areas of high deprivation - and to retain more existing staff.

Bradford City Primary Care Trust, which is responsible for the health-care of people living in the inner city area, voted to go ahead with a bid to the Government at a trust board meeting.

It is one of just six PCTs across the country invited to bid for teaching trust status. The bid, which could also bring a major cash boost to health care in the inner city, will be made by the end of March.

"This would be a really exciting development for us in the future," said Mohammed Ajeeb, chairman of Bradford City PCT.

"We are aiming to improve training and development for our existing staff, and attract new staff to train and work in inner city Bradford."

Lynnette Throp, chief executive of the PCT, said: "We want to tailor the training of our staff to make it more relevant to the special and unique diversity we have in Bradford.

"We are also hoping to develop new roles."

A workshop will be held next month in Bradford to discuss the plan with interested parties, including the health authority, GPs and representatives of Bradford and Leeds Universities.