HEALTH chiefs have denied that appointing a joint chief executive for Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust and West Wiltshire Primary Care Trust will lead to the trusts merging.

The chairmen of both trusts spoke out after they endorsed the appointment of a joint chief executive.

Tim Boucher, chairman of Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, said at a board meeting on February 24: "There is no intention whatsoever to merge. We, as a PCT, are responsible for a 200,000 population. West Wiltshire PCT is responsible for its own population.

"There is no policy support from Government for such a move."

Shiena Bowen, chairman of West Wiltshire PCT, said at a board meeting last Thursday: "There is no intention of merging the two PCTs, nor the financial accountability, their Professional Executive Committees or boards. The proposal is to move forward for the appointment of a joint chief executive for both PCTs."

Donna Stiles, who leaves her post as chief executive of West Wilts PCT at the end of April, said: "A steering group has been set up to see it through. The first aim is to recruit a joint chief executive and the intention is for me, together with the acting chief executive of Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust to prepare a report to the incoming joint chief executive.

"We will also be looking for a more integrated management structure to deliver services."

Stephen Golledge, of West Gloucestershire PCT, is continuing as part time acting chief executive at Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT until an announcement is made on who the joint chief executive will be.

Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT has been without a permanent chief executive since Barbara Smith resigned suddenly last September.

New non-executive directors should be recruited by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust by April.

The trust is seeking to replace three non-executive directors who resigned in January.

Two of those who resigned Chris Wheeler and Ken Morrison did so due to concerns over the proposed running of the trust by the Swindon Primary Care Trust, an idea which was subsequently abandoned by the Kennet and North Wiltshire PCT.

Trust chairman Tim Boucher said at a board meeting of the trust on February 24: "We have been interviewing candidates for the vacant non-executive positions. We are progressing well with it but the process is undertaken by the NHS Appointments Commission and we have to wait for them to hold a meeting in March after which we will know of any successful candidates."

Non-executive directors earn £5,426 per year and from April the time they have to commit to the post is being reduced to a minimum of two and a half days per month.

MORE public meetings have been organised by the Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust.

These are on Tuesday from 10am to noon on maternity services followed from 1pm to 3pm on consultant outpatient clinics, both at the Scout Hall, Pewsey; on Wednesday from 10am to noon on maternity services followed from 1pm to 3pm on consultant outpatient clinics, both at the Corn Exchange, Calne.