The clinical commissioning group (CCG) for Andover is set to merge with five others from April - creating one Hampshire-wide body.

Concerns have been raised by councillors about how this move may reduce local-focussed services but the clinical-led body has given assurances that these will be ‘very much retained’.

Clinical commissioning groups are NHS organisations set up by the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to organise the delivery of NHS services in England. They are responsible for commissioning primary health care services, such as GP practices, in their designated area.

The single Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight CCG will replace the current Hampshire and Isle of Wight Partnership of CCGs - which has seen the close joint working of Fareham and Gosport, Isle of Wight, North Hampshire, and South Eastern Hampshire CCGs over the last three years - as well as Southampton City CCG and West Hampshire CCG, the latter of which covers Andover and Test Valley.

Dr Matt Nisbet, a GP and North Hampshire CCG clinical lead for business and partnership, told members that the new network was a result of “central policy”.

Speaking at a Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council meeting, Dr Nisbet tried to assuage concerns that the merger will cause a "lack of local feel to health".

He said that the change in structure is aimed at both keeping a local-focus, while benefitting from joint-up working across the region.

He said: “I understand your concern around that. When CCGs were established one of the primary objectives is that they were clinically-led and local-focused, and I think to a large extent they have succeeded in that.

“But there have been things that have been lost in that as well, so this latest structural change was designed to address that. So whilst it's true that in April the CCGs will merge into a single one, we are still very much retaining a local structure as well.”

Dr Nisbet added that there is also a “local integrated care partnership” in place to cover specific areas of Hampshire.

In a statement, West Hampshire CCG said: "The proposed new CCG will have the flexibility to maintain a strong local focus as well as achieve the benefits of working at scale across the whole area, when needed. Local leadership is crucial to making the right decisions for local communities and that will continue.

"This will support our communities to stay as healthy as possible and ensure residents have access to high quality healthcare services when they need them."