THE future of the health authority serving Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa has been thrown into doubt after a massive shake-up of the NHS was announced.
Health Secretary Alan Milburn revealed last Wednesday that the 99 health authorities will be merged into 30 by 2004.
Management of services will be moved to the front line trusts in hospitals and GPs surgeries.
Consultation will help define the boundaries which the new authority will cover. It is expected to serve 1.5 million people. Worcestershire Health Authority insisted it will be business as usual despite the plans.
Chief executive Pat Archer-Jones said: "Health authorities will take a more strategic role, performance managing NHS trusts and primary care trusts and fulfilling certain key public health functions.
"Currently a number of discussion meetings are taking place with doctors, nurses, therapists and other professionals as well as a wide range of stakeholders to assess the way forward."
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