WORCESTERSHIRE'S Health Authority is to be merged with three others as the NHS becomes more streamlined for the 21st Century.

The West Midlands South Health Authority will include representatives from Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Coventry and Warwickshire.

The merger is already underway and is expected to be in place by April next year.

Worcester District Community Health Council heard the proposal aimed to make the health service more people-centred.

Staff normally feel that important decisions have been made behind closed doors, said Tamar Thompson, assistant regional director of the NHS.

There aren't many cases when they feel they don't have a major contribution to make to improve services.

This will create larger strategic health authorities. Instead of 95 there will be 28.

That's a major change and we'll be able to have all 28 represented in a room with the Secretary of State.

There will be a lot more working alongside Ministers.

But the new health authority will only require 70 staff, prompting fears of job losses.

A regional clearing house will be set up so people who think they will be vulnerable will have some help, said Mrs Thompson.

There will be quite a few people moved down into Primary Care Groups. There may be some redundancies but we've not got a definitive statement on that.

The health authorities will only become strategic once legislation has been passed by Parliament, but appointments are currently being made by the Secretary of State.

This is a difficult time, aid Judith Phillips, chief officer at Wychavon Primary Care Trust.

I don't think anyone in their right mind would change everything in health all at once.

It's a mammoth change but the first step would be to reassure people that there will be a job for them.