‘Future of Healthcare in Gloucestershire’ – Next Steps

12/09/2006

Primary Care Trust Boards will meet on Thursday 21 September to reach decisions on the proposals that form part of the ‘Future of Healthcare in Gloucestershire’ consultation.

The public consultation ended on Monday 4 September. Primary Care Trusts have now completed an outcome report which they will discuss with the County’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) tomorrow.

Feedback from this meeting, together with the outcome report, will be considered by the PCT Boards next week.

The NHS has logged over 4,000 individual consultation responses to date, including letters, e-mails and questionnaire feedback forms (both hardcopy and via the consultation website). A number of petitions have also been received.

Chief Executive of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury Primary Care Trust, Caroline Fowles who is leading the consultation said:

“We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete a consultation questionnaire, attend one of the many public events held during the period of consultation, was a member of a discussion group or wrote to the Consultation Team to express their views.”

“We will consider very carefully the views of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee as well as the feedback we have received from staff, partners and local people.”

“Consultation feedback shows that the majority of people who responded believe we have used the right principles in developing our proposals including providing care at home and in local settings where it is sensible to do so.”

“We believe that change is unavoidable if the NHS locally is to protect the quality and range of services provided in to the future. The challenge now is to reach decisions that reflect these principles whilst considering the differing views and needs of our local communities.”