WE are greatly concerned by new proposals which will see the shake up of local NHS Primary Care Trusts and the potential threat posed as a result to the local range of health services and facilities our communities currently enjoy and rely on. Although not yet consulted on the definite proposals for Devon, we each understand that instead of local Primary Care Trusts serving areas broadly in line with district council boundaries there will be one centralised organisation for the whole of Devon (excluding Plymouth and Torbay). We all share the fear that such a proposal, if implemented, will lead to a huge bureaucracy being created and will, in effect, return to the old days of a Devon Area Health Authority, centralised in one place and with little or no real and genuine accountability to the distinct communities that currently enjoy good and strong relationships with the Primary Care Trusts. We have already expressed our severe reservations to the South West Peninsula Strategic Health Authority about the very short timescales for the consultation before it reports back to Government on October 15, and the lack of any meaningful consultation with stakeholders or the general public on what is being proposed and the fact that there is, as yet, no detail on what the changes will mean for local people and local services. For example, who will run the local community hospitals in future? How will the patients and public consultation bodies be involved in future? What are the arrangements to be for the very local community health services? We are fearful that this is a further example of the NHS coming up with its solution which is not right for the communities of Devon as a whole. We accept that there may well need to be some reorganisation of Primary Care Trusts to create savings that can be put into patient care and services and, of course, to improve management efficiency. The lack of consultations, the single solution of one Trust for Devon and the potential threat to local services greatly worry us and will be of real concern to our residents. Cllr Richard Eberlie of West Devon Borough Council Cllr Pat Ferguson Leader, Torridge District Council Cllr Alan Connett Leader, Teignbridge District Council Cllr Roy Slack Leader, Exeter City Council Cllr Richard Yonge Leader, South Hams District Council Cllr Malcolm Prowse Leader, North Devon District Council Cllr Sara Randall Johnson Leader, East Devon District Council Cllr Bill Dixon Vice-chair of Resources Committee