HEALTH chiefs at Hereford County Hospital have given themselves 100 days to identify and deliver key improvements in services.

Chief executive David Rose said they were looking for rapid and significant progress and six areas of work had been agreed with the hospital's team of executive directors.

The first involved the strategy of the Trust and to develop a clear and understandable statement on the type of health care provider it wished to be, and how best to serve the people of Herefordshire.

The second featured capacity - clarifying and developing plans for operating successfully in a hospital with fewer beds. It involved building on investment from the Primary Care Trust in key specialities and being clear on what improvements were needed to deliver fast and reliable care.

Thirdly, in the children's department to support the Herefordshire team working on National Service Framework implementations and identifying how to continue delivering a safe, reliable and easily accessible paediatric service in the light of external pressures, such as the European working time directive.

Number four would identify how to financially support the provision of services over the next three years, and number five involved agreeing arrangements for implementing the national information technology programme.

The sixth area meant making progress with the delivery of the new consultant contract, the European Working Directive and Agenda for Change, new national pay and development arrangements for non-medical staff.