NEWS that a new super health authority is to be created to cover Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has been criticised by a leading union.

A spokesman for the Southampton Health Branch of Unison said the new organisation, which will replace the three existing health authorities in the area from April 1, will not mean better services for patients or better working conditions for staff.

He said: "We are not opposed to it, but we are not particularly pleased about it either.

"It's just another organisation, I don't think it's going to make an awful lot of difference to patients and people on the frontline.

"The health service has been re-organised repeatedly and Unison's reaction is that, apart from more money, it needs more concentration on services and doesn't need to be messed around."

Dr Nigel Watson, a Hampshire GP and chairman of the local medical committee for Southampton and South West Hamp-shire, agreed that more emphasis needs to be put on the patients rather than on the structure of the organisations.

He said: "I think what most doctors would like is the government not changing everything every year. There's a danger that people's time is spent changing things rather than on people care.

But Hampshire health bosses have welcomed the news.

Les Judd, acting chief executive of Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority said the decision, which was announced yesterday and reported in later editions of the Daily Echo, reflects what the county's residents want from their health service in the future.

He added: "We are very pleased that this announcement has been made and that the decision reflects the views of local people.

"We will now be able to move forward with the development of the new strategic Health Authority and Primary Care Trusts and begin the transfer of staff from Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority to these new organisations."

A spokeswoman said that it would be unrealistic to suggest there would be no redundancies in the existing organisations, but stressed that everything possible would be done to transfer staff to the new authority.

She added: "All members of staff have been guaranteed employment until 2003."