Further to discussions between the Chief Medical Officer and Regional Directors of Public Health, Dr Gabriel Scally, Regional Director of Public Health for the South West, has asked Dr Julia Verne to lead the merger of the South West Public Health Observatory (SWPHO) with the South West Cancer Intelligence Service (SWCIS). Dr Verne is currently Director of SWPHO and Acting Director of SWCIS.

The planning phase will commence in January 2004 with the aim of setting up a shared resource from April 2004 with a view to a full merger in 2005. It is possible that the South West may be one of the first regions to take this forward.