Secretary of State for Health visits county to discuss 'The Future of Healthcare in Gloucestershire'

25th July 2006

As part of a day long visit to the new NHS South West Region today, Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt MP Secretary of State for Health, will be making a visit to Gloucestershire to talk with representatives of local communities about the opportunities and challenges facing the NHS locally.

She will be visiting the county for a private meeting with a number of local stakeholders, who will have the opportunity to discuss their views about Gloucestershire’s healthcare services.

The meeting, which will take place at Cirencester Hospital, will be attended by representatives from the Gloucestershire County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Patient and Public Involvement Forums, Community Representatives and Trade Union Representatives.

Ruth Fitz John, Chair, Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Primary Care Trust, who will chair the meeting in Cirencester said:

 “This meeting is a great opportunity for a group of local people to ensure their comments are heard right at the top of the NHS. Equally, I know this is a meeting the Secretary of State was keen to attend so that she could hear for herself those views and have an opportunity to discuss them with Gloucestershire people.”

Throughout the current ‘Future of Healthcare in Gloucestershire’ public consultation, Gloucestershire’s NHS organisations are inviting local people, patients, staff and partners to debate the proposals and the principles used to develop those proposals.

Ruth Fitz John continued:

“Our consultation document explains why we think the changes we are proposing are necessary if we are to build on the developments of the last few years and protect the range of health services provided in Gloucestershire into the future. Ensuring the best possible patient care is of paramount importance to us and it has to be right for the future as well as affordable.”

 “It is clear that many people have real concerns about some of the proposals. However we are also seeing that other people appreciate that things cannot stand still, are telling us that doing things differently in some areas may be a good thing for the future and are offering suggestions for how we could do this. I hope that at the meeting today the Secretary of State will be able to listen to and discuss a full range of views.”

The consultation period concludes on 4 September 2006. So far the NHS in Gloucestershire has met with people at public events, received letters and lots of consultation questionnaires have been returned by post or via the consultation website.

The outcome of the consultation will be discussed with the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 13 September with PCT Boards meeting the next day to consider their decisions.

Prior to her meeting with stakeholders in Cirencester, the Secretary of State for Health will visit a multi sport summer coaching scheme in Northleach, a public health partnership with the local district council, which encourages young people to become more active and enjoy participating in a variety of sports during the summer holidays.