PATIENT watchdog groups across the South have been left reeling from the shock news that they are to be abolished.

Community Health Councils, which have battled for patient rights since 1974, will be ditched within two years in a new shake-up of NHS services.

The hammer blow was included in the NHS Plan outlining how new billions would bring the UK in line with average European standards over the next decade.

The CHCs in Southampton, Winchester and Portsmouth have played a crucial role in monitoring standards of care and scrutinising major changes to the local health service on behalf of the public.

They have also helped to process complaints on behalf of thousands of patients.

The government claims citizens and patients will have more say in the running of the NHS under the changes because:

All patients leaving hospital will be able to record their views on the standards of care they have received - published annually in the Patients' Prospectus

Funding for hospitals will be linked to patient surveys on their performance.

A Patients' Forum will be created at each hospital comprising patient groups, voluntary organisations and respondents to the annual survey. This body will have the right to inspect every aspect of the trust's care at any time.

Support for complainants will be given by a new Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service, based within the trust.

Local authorities will be given the power to scrutinise the NHS in their area at a publicly heard all-party committee which must be attended by the chief executive of the local trust at least twice a year.

But Southampton CHC chief executive Mick Rolfe warned: "The local authorities may find they have the wool pulled over their eyes.

"With health authorities and local authorities working close together and developing joint services it doesn't seem logical to have one of them playing the watchdog role over the other.

"And the perception of independence the CHC gave will be gone."

The future of 11 jobs at Southern Hamp-shire CHCs have been thrown into jeopardy as a result of the government announcement.

A spokeswoman at the Southampton CHC said: "There have been people in tears. The CHC employs a lot of people around the country, but they had no idea this was coming."

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.