THERE’S just one week left on the public consultation on proposals for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to merge.

Next week is the final week the public can take part in an online survey.

The Advertiser reported in May that Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) could be combined with others in an effort to save £2million.

Currently, the NHS CCGs covering Herefordshire and Worcestershire are: NHS Herefordshire CCG, NHS Redditch and Bromsgrove CCG, NHS South Worcestershire CCG, and NHS Wyre Forest CCG.

The CCG says plans will not affect any health or care services provided by NHS organisations or local councils across the area, but will reduce the duplication of roles and governance that sit behind the scenes within the four organisations.

Speaking previously, Simon Trickett, accountable officer for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire CCGs, said: “Our main priority is and always will be our patients and the health and wellbeing of our local population.

"Having already set up combined governance and decision-making arrangements across the four CCGs, this is the next logical step.

"We will not lose sight of the different needs of our local communities and we will continue to work with local organisations so that people’s needs, views and experiences remain at the heart of our decision making."

He added: "By creating one single CCG, instead of the current four, we estimate that we can save the required £2million.

“I would like to emphasise that this won’t have any impact on NHS services being provided across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. This is about reducing some of the bureaucracy and duplication that running four CCGs brings.”

The CCGs have been seeking people’s views on the proposal throughout June as part of a public consultation.

To have a say or for more information, go to redditchandbromsgroveccg.nhs.uk.