Preseli Pembrokeshire's AM has outlined his fears that the proposed health trust merger will lead to service cutbacks in the County.

He asked Edwina Hart in the Senedd why the consultation on the proposed trust merger is only being carried out with the Community Health Councils and members of staff, and not the general public.

"The proposals contain no specific costings or details as to how health services would be better delivered and patient care improved," he said.

"I am genuinely concerned that creating one trust for west Wales could lead to vital services being transferred from Pembrokeshire, to other parts of the former county of Dyfed.

"In any large organisation, it is the peripheries that suffer, and given that Pembrokeshire would, geographically, be on the periphery of such a large trust, it would be the first to suffer."

Mrs Hart reassured him that the merger was purely an administrative one.

"There is no intention of changing any of the existing service provisions," she said in Wednesday's plenary session of the Senedd. "There is no question of anything happening with regard to service provision or where services are located within the area.

However, I see this as the administrative merger of trust boards, and the streamlining of administrative structures. If it came to looking at services within the areas — we are currently looking at Withybush Hospital — that would be a different type of consultation, and it would have to go out for public response."

Mr Davies also asked her why the health boards are not being merged and Mrs Hart hinted that they may be next.

"I note your point on local health boards. I will be considering in future how they can work together better," she said.