Control of community hospitals in Newton Abbot, Teignmouth, Dawlish, Bovey Tracey and Ashburton is set to transfer on April 1 when NHS Devon (Devon PCT) hands over the reins to Torbay Care Trust.

Moretonhampstead Hospital will be run by Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.

The changes will affect approximately 800 staff and are in line with the government's Transforming Community Services initiative, which means NHS trusts can no longer both commission and provide services.

Health managers said patients and staff should see little, if any, change but union officials are concerned that the NHS could eventually be privatised.

Rebecca Harriott, deputy chief executive at NHS Devon, said: 'NHS organisations could consider a range of options to deliver these services in future. These include integrating the management of some services with existing NHS organisations or setting up a new organisation for parts, or all, of the services, for example as a social enterprise [not for profit company].

'Continuing with existing arrangements was not an option. It is extremely important to understand that the transfer will result in no changes to the frontline services we deliver. It is a management change only.'

A spokesman for Torbay Care Trust, which denied there were any plans to seek social enterprise status, said: 'We have worked hard with colleagues in NHS Devon to make sure that the transfer of services happens smoothly. As a result, patients should notice no difference to the way in which they receive care and support. In essence, the same people will continue to provide the same care, in the same way, in the same places.'

Sue Orwin, Unison branch secretary for Torbay Health, said Torbay Care Trust was only guaranteed a two-year right to operate the community hospitals.

'The big worry is where the NHS is going,' she said. 'In two years the market will be opened up. Torbay Care Trust could become a social enterprise, well forget the social, that's just an enterprise and we would campaign against it.

'Our preference would be for the trust to join forces with South Devon Foundation NHS Trust. that would give services the stability they need.'

Last week health workers protested at the Strategic Health Authority meeting in Taunton. They claimed 'large swathes' of NHS provision, including community hospitals, were being handed over to social enterprises.

Joanne Kaye, regional secretary, said: 'This could be the beginning of the end for the NHS in the south west.'