Bulletin 2006/08: Re-organisation of Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and Primary Care Organisations (PCOs)

Bulletin released: 04/08/06
Category: Area Information

Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs)

Recent restructuring has seen the number of SHAs reduce from 28 to 10, with the new organisations operative from 1 July 2006. Their boundaries are co-terminous with Government Office Regions (GORs), with the exception of the South East GOR which comprises two SHAs.

The names and codes and digital boundaries of the new SHAs are available from ONS Geography and the organisations will be included in the August release of the National Statistics Postcode Directory (NSPD). The NSPD will also retain the links between postcodes and the previous SHA and Health Authority structures.

Primary Care Organisations (PCOs)

Although the restructured PCOs (Primary Care Trusts and Care Trusts) will not be operative until October this year, it has been confirmed that the 303 current PCOs will be replaced by 152 new organisations.

The majority of the new PCOs will be defined in terms of local authority districts. Of the 152 PCOs: 130 will comprise one or more whole local authority districts; 16 will comprise one or more whole local authority districts plus whole wards; three will comprise only whole wards within a single local authority district; two will comprise one or more whole local authority districts and part wards (ie. whole parishes); and one will comprise whole and part wards (ie. whole parishes) within a single local authority district.

It is hoped that names and codes and digital boundaries of the new PCOs will be available from ONS Geography in early October to enable the organisations to be included in the November release of the NSPD.

top

This page last revised: Friday, 4 August 2006