HEALTH chiefs who want to merge the St Albans and Harpenden primary care groups (PCGs), barely a year after doctors pressed for separate bodies, set out their proposals last Friday.

Representatives from both PCGs launched their plans to merge the grassroots groups, made up of GPs, nurses, social services and lay members, at Harpenden Memorial Hospital, in Carlton Road.

Health chiefs said the merger into a single primary care trust (PCT) would improve the provision of health care and other essential services in the district by creating a more 'powerful negotiating force'.

Speaking at the launch of the three-month consultation period, St Albans PCG chief executive Steve Knighton said: 'We believe the time is right for the two PCGs to work together because as one organisation we will have greater resources to ensure a strong local voice for health services.'

Harpenden PCG chief executive David Davies added: 'Harpenden Memorial Hospital and St Albans City Hospital will be central to our vision of local health care.

'The primary care trust will be about local people having a direct say in how health services are provided.'

The two groups, which only came into operation last April, replaced GP fundholding practices and have taken health spending decisions away from the larger West Herts Heath Authority.

But health chiefs told residents at the meeting the groups are not individually strong enough and, if they get backing for their proposal, a single trust could be in place by April next year.

After a three-month consultation period, the health authority will decide whether or not to support the proposal in October. Its comments will be passed to the regional office of the NHS Executive, which will decide whether or not trust status should be established.

It will then be up to the Secretary of State to make a final decision sometime in December.

There will be a series of open meetings to give residents the opportunity to find out more about the proposals and to give their views.

The next meeting will be at Park Hall, in Leyton Road, Harpenden, on Thursday, August 3.