The Hywel Dda NHS Trust has come into force, marking the official end of the Pembrokeshire and Derwen Trust and causing concern among health campaigners.

All staff who were employed by the Pembrokeshire and Derwen Trust will transfer over to Hywel Dda, which came into being yesterday (April 1st), as will staff at the Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trusts.

The interim Chairman of Hywel Dda NHS Trust, Lynette George said: "A great deal of work has been ongoing to ensure that the necessary legal, financial and governance systems are in place for establishment of the new Hywel Dda NHS Trust on April 1st 2008.

"I have been appointed interim chairman and Professor Gareth Morgan, from Swansea University, has been appointed as a non-executive director. The process of filling the remaining non-executive and executive posts is also moving ahead."

The remaining executive positions must be filled before before any decisions on the organisational structure can be made.

"This means that patients will notice no difference in their normal healthcare service on April 1st 2008 and for staff, it will be business as usual with no changes in their normal day to day working activities.

"I would like to offer my assurance that this process will be carried out as quickly as possible so that the very many positive benefits of the merger process can be fully realised" added Mrs George.

But campaigners remain concerned about the future of Withybush Hospital, saying the trust is in chaos and that the threat of core services being relocated to Carmarthen remains.

"April 1st is a very apt day for the Trust to be started," said Chris Overton, chair of SWAT (Save Withybush Action Team).

"At the present moment in time it seems to be in complete chaos without anyone in charge and just an interim chairman.

"SWAT is still very concerned that the main aim of the trust is to gradually remove services from the periphery and centralise in Carmarthen and we will remain active for as it takes until any planned service changes go to public consultation, which we believe they have to."