THE way the NHS in Epping Forest is run will soon change in line with Government plans to abolish primary care trusts.
The West Essex trust, which runs all NHS services in the district, will join with the mid and north Essex PCTs under the leadership of a single chief executive by the end of September.
The move is in preparation for Government plans to transfer the running of the NHS to family doctors by 2013.
The chairman of the committee set up to oversee the move, David Barron, said: “The decision to join up the trusts will help the local NHS prepare for the future.
“A single leader opens the way for three PCTs to share skills and resources.”
He said the chief executives of the west and mid Essex trusts had shown an interest in applying for the role to oversee all three trusts.
The trusts will remain separate organisations because the cost of merging them completely would be too high.
The new chief executive will be chosen at the end of the month.
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