HEREFORDSHIRE Health Authority had every right to be proud of its work over the last few years said chairman Cessa Moore.

Its days should end on a note of high spirits.

The county was now equipped with range of new facilities which boded well for the future.

A brand new district general hospital in Hereford and a ring of community hospitals in the market towns.

Those in Ross-on-Wye, Leominster and Bromyard were relatively new and in good condition, Ledbury opened this week and work was starting on a new one in Kington.

Herefordshire was the envy of many other health authorities in the country.

Mrs Moore (pictured left) said the county should be proud of the reputation it had gained in the higher echelons of the NHS.

Wherever she went in health circles people praised the way the county had worked in partnership with other groups and integrated its services with those provided by Herefordshire Council's social services.

Much of this had been achieved through the work of the health authority's two former chief executives Melvyn Ellis and Richard Humphries.

"I think there is much for us to be proud of in this county,'' said Mrs Moore.