A health watchdog which is facing abolition has expressed strong concerns about the formation of new patient forums.

Members of Airedale Community Health Council fear that the new patient forums, which the Government wants to introduce next year, will require staffing levels that will be difficult to attain.

They are also worried that a "black hole" is being left in the change over period from CHCs to the new forums.

Even though members are united in their opposition to the move, the CHC is committed to the formation of "shadow" patient forums from next month.

The Government wants to abolish CHCs, which are staffed mainly by volunteers, from April next year.

It wants to replace them with patient-led forums, patient advocacy liaison services (PALS), which would be hired by health trusts, and an independent complaints service.

There will be separate forums covering Airedale Primary Care Trust, Airedale NHS Trust, and the newly formed Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust.

Speaking at the CHC's annual meeting, chairman Peter Putwaine said: "Some of the changes are good but a lot of them are bad, and to destroy an organisation at a whim and bring in new structures out of the debris of this organisation is wrong.

"All this is being driven by finance, but the cost of this new patient involvement will be ten times what it costs for CHCs."