A CONTROVERSIAL restru-cturing of the NHS in Wales got under way today with health authorities being replaced by 22 local health boards.

The scrapping of the five larger bodies is designed to make the service more responsive and accessible.

Under health minister Jane Hutt's reforms the boards, which match local authority areas, will have responsibility for commissioning healthcare in their area.

They will receive funding direct from the Assembly government, and health professionals and representatives from local government and the voluntary sector will sit on them.

The minister was in Newport this morning, to launch the city's local health board.

But the plan has already proved hugely unpopular with health professionals and opposition parties, with serious questions being raised over the costs.

Plaid Cymru shadow health minister Dr Dai Lloyd today condemned the changes and said the cash would be better spent on front-line services such as doctors, nurses and beds.

"The health service in Wales does not need this latest bureaucratic restructuring," he said.

"It's not at all clear if these costly new structures will deliver any significant health gains."

Mrs Hutt initially insisted the transition would be "cost neutral" - but it later emerged it would cost between £12.5 million and £15.5 million.

The Auditor General has raised further concerns, warning the running costs of the new structures must be cut by £8.5 million if Mrs Hutt's promise that they will cost no more to run than the current £71.1 million budget is to be met.

She said the new health boards, which will receive £2.5 billion funding, would deliver real change for staff and patients.

"The new structure is all about creating a health service which provides local solutions," she said.

"The co-operation between health and local government puts Wales in a strong position to improve health and well-being.

"Our committed NHS workforce deserve a system which puts them in the driving seat and this is what the reforms are doing."