A proposed collaboration between two hospitals would not result in large-scale redundancies, a health chief pledged yesterday.

The vast majority of front line staff would not be affected by a partnership between Eastbourne District General and the Conquest Hospital in Hastings, said Geoff Haynes, chief executive of Hastings and Rother NHS Trust.

However, he said some jobs could be lost among senior managers if their roles were doubled up He said: "For 99 per cent of the staff it will not create disruption but at the executive and director level there could be redundancies as there would obviously not be a need for two chief executives."

An announcement on the potential for collaboration between the hospitals will be made within weeks.

The trust said the move was in line with a report by the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians and the British Medical Association.

Junior doctors, who did the bulk of work at the two hospitals, could be best trained if they served populations of 500,000 or more as they gained more experience.

Mr Haynes said a board appointed last August to look at issues arising from the plan had almost completed its work.

Its findings will be reported to both trust's boards next month before they go out to public consultation in March.

If a merger is recommended it is likely to come into effect by April 2002.

Mr Haynes said: "It would be nice if we could stay as we are, but this is not the case. It will certainly not compromise services in either trust."

Mary Laxton, regional officer for Unison, said: "We are pleased that this proposed merger is to go out to meaningful consultation with both members and the public.

"Our members are not against change if it's for the good of the public."