Keeping a closer brief on the regionalisation of health services is a driver behind a regional and mayoral health taskforce being recommended to the Wanganui District Council.
The issue was discussed at the council's community and environment committee this week and as a first step has been referred to the Safer Wanganui group for its input.
Committee chair councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan said she expected feedback from Safer Wanganui at its next meeting.
In June last year, Whanganui and MidCentral district health boards moved to a regionalised women's health service, providing secondary maternity and gynaecology in-patient services from Wanganui and Palmerston North hospitals.
There was a strong community reaction to the plan, with concerns that the city would lose key parts of its maternity services to the Manawatu. Wanganui District Health Board (WDHB) and MidCentral modified the plan in response to guarantee local services would be retained.