THE new East of England Strategic Health Authority has come into being. The authority began its work on Saturday and will cover Herts along with Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk. Interim chief executive Pearse Butler said the new a

THE new East of England Strategic Health Authority has come into being.

The authority began its work on Saturday and will cover Herts along with Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Interim chief executive Pearse Butler said the new authority would be in a position to provide better support to NHS trust throughout the area.

"We have significent challenges ahead and we need to move quickly to provide stability," he said.

Mr Butler said a management structure had been introduced which would "provide strong leadership".

He added: "We will work together with all our organisations to build and maintain a sustainable NHS.