PLANS to create a new health organisation in Redditch and Bromsgrove were unveiled at a public meeting on Thursday.

The meeting formed part of a consultation period for proposals to form a Primary Care Trust (PCT), which were outlined in a presentation at Redditch Town Hall by Bromsgrove Primary Care Group's chief officer Ian Williams.

Features of the PCT include taking on the existing responsibilities of Redditch and Bromsgrove Primary Care Groups, purchasing and commissioning health services as well as providing some of them directly.

Mr Williams said the PCT will differ from existing and previous organisations by putting as much of the decision making and power as possible into the hands of the professionals.

"While there us a fairly traditional board to the PCT, the engine room of the trust will be an executive committee - a professional body of 13 people - 10 of which will be practising clinicians," he said.

Mr Williams said the consultation period, which began on June 18, runs until September.

"Parallel to the consultation period, a lot of work is going into developing the actual application.

"If all goes well the Secretary of State will make a decision to approve the application in November or December and the PCT will be up and running by April 1, 2002," he added.