§ Mr. DobbinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for health authority mergers. [105507]
§ Mr. DenhamThere has been only one health authority merger since May 1997 when North West Anglia, East Norfolk and Cambridge and Huntingdon Health Authorities merged to become Norfolk and Cambridge Health Authorities on 1 April 1999.
There are no current plans for further health authority mergers, and any future proposals will be subject to full local consultation and will be based on the needs of the NHS and its patients. We will need to have clear evidence that any plans will deliver real health, service and clinical benefits.