PRIMARY care trusts in Comet country might be reduced to just one per county. That is one of the proposals facing the NHS in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. The full list of proposed changes for the area are: * Creating an Eastern Region Strategic Health

PRIMARY care trusts in Comet country might be reduced to just one per county.

That is one of the proposals facing the NHS in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.

The full list of proposed changes for the area are:

* Creating an Eastern Region Strategic Health Authority - combining Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, Essex and Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire strategic health authorities (SHA).

* Reducing the number of primary care trusts in Hertfordshire, from the existing eight to either one (for the whole of Hertfordshire) or two (one for West Hertfordshire and one for East and North Hertfordshire)

* Reducing the number of primary care trusts in Bedfordshire to either one (covering the whole area) or two (one for Luton and one for Bedfordshire).

* Creating a single NHS Ambulance Service Trust, covering the East of England. This would replace the existing East Anglia, Essex and Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire trusts.

John de Braux, chief executive of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA, said: "We want to gather the views of as many people as possible, and their views will play an important part of the final decision.

"Much has improved in the NHS over recent years, including reduced waiting times, improved treatments and better hospitals.

"We want to maintain this progress, but we have to ensure our organisations are fit for the future. This means making them stronger, so that they can deliver better services and maximise investment in front line services."

* For more information call 01727 792924 or log on to www.bhha.nhs.uk