WARRINGTON'S only independent health watchdog, the Community Health Council, is to be abolished under radical changes in the National Health Service.

Among fears that an impartial and coherent voice for patients will be lost, CHC members face a fight to ensure that direct scrutiny of NHS services through the people who use them is protected.

To add insult to injury, the CHC found out about the Government's decision to scrap it only when the new NHS plan was published on the Internet.

"Staff found out they were going to lose their jobs through the Internet. There was no prior notification from the Department of Health," said CHC chief officer Simon Banks.

"No further information is available to us until October."

CHCs are a powerful tool in gaining a fair deal for patients and local communities. Their role includes supporting complaints, visits to hospitals and reporting patients' feedback.

Under the Government's new proposals, the role of CHCs will be split into patient, advocacy and liaison services (PALS) within the health care trust, overseen by Warrington Borough Council.

"There are fears that the new proposals will be a weaker voice for the people and we are aiming to ensure that this doesn't happen," added Mr Banks.

"My fears are that PALS could end up as a quango.

"Pressure from the Community Health Council is not sufficient. Other organisations must help if we are to succeed in saving them."

CHC members include carers, councillors and many others who will be lobbying hard to ensure that PALS are employed by someone other than health authorities.