Frenchay Hospital and Southmead Hospital are both under review

They involve redeveloping services at Frenchay and Southmead Hospitals and parts of the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

Proposals also include expansion of Bristol Children's Hospital and the possibility of building a new South Bristol Community Hospital.

The various options will now be submitted for consideration by the Department of Health.

The plans for primary and community healthcare involve an expansion of services in local facilities, many of them to be transferred out of the major hospitals.

There is a compelling case for change Kevin Woods, strategic health authority

Views are being sought on bringing together specialist and emergency services in north Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

These might be concentrated at either Frenchay or Southmead Hospitals - with the other being scaled down.

Outline approval of the proposals has been announced by the Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority.

A statement from the authority says the plans aim to improve the range and quality of healthcare and to modernise hospital services.

'Cramped' buildings

"The strategic outline cases show that many hospital services delivered by United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust and North Bristol NHS Trust are in accommodation which is unsuited for modern patient care.

"It is characterised by cramped, old and unsatisfactory buildings.

"It is often the case that patients and staff must move from one part of the hospital site to another to reach related services, which is both uncomfortable and inefficient."

At this stage the plans identify a number of options for redevelopment.

Kevin Woods, the strategic authority's director of health policy and strategy said: "There is no doubt that current hospital services in Bristol and South Gloucestershire need to be improved if they are to deliver the standard of care expected of modern health care services in the future.

"There is a compelling case for change."

The authority says more specific, detailed proposals will only be agreed after full public consultation has been undertaken.

The outline proposals will now be submitted for consideration by the Department of Health and the outcome is expected by July.