Future of health care services main agenda item for council discussion in Marlow

07 September 2010

The future of health care services in the Wycombe district will be top of the agenda at Wycombe District Council's Improvement and Review Commission on Thursday 16 September, from 6.30pm in the General Higginson Room at Court Garden in Marlow.

From 6.30pm, members of the public are invited to say what their highest priority concerns are about the future of health care services in the district, as part of an informal, round table discussion with councillors and NHS representatives. The formal meeting will then start at 7pm with presentations on health care services by the Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust and Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust on how health care services are planned and commissioned, the review of services and the vision for the future.

Chairman of the Improvement and Review Commission, Cllr Alex Collingwood, commented: "As well as monitoring decisions made by Cabinet and helping to review and develop council policy, the Improvement and Review Commission explores matters that affect the well being of local residents. The first part of this meeting - which is being held away from the council offices - focuses on the future of health care services and promises to be an interesting and informative session. We are very keen to hear local residents' views on this subject, which is why the meeting is open to members of the public to come along and have their say."

Ed Macalister-Smith, Chief Executive of NHS Buckinghamshire, added: "At the moment, NHS clinicians and managers, in common with local government colleagues, are looking at how to provide high quality services for people, within the allocated budget. Over the past few years, advances in technology and in the way in which we can provide services mean that far more support can be give to people in their own homes and in the community. This is what patients and their carers say they want and it also usually represents an efficient use of resources.

"The NHS in Buckinghamshire, working with colleagues, is currently planning what further services we should be developing locally for people in the community. This includes, through our ImPACT project, developing more community-based urgent care services for people who would otherwise end up in an acute hospital. At the same time, through our Care for the Future project, we are discussing with colleagues in Berkshire how we can ensure that our acute hospitals are proving the right mix of high quality specialist care for the people who need it, within our current resources.

"We will shortly be publishing a document setting out our vision for high quality and accessible healthcare for people in the county and will be keen to talk to local people to hear their ideas."

For more information about the meeting of the Improvement and Review Commission, phone Wycombe District Council's Committee Services Team on 01494 421 261 or email committeeservices@wycombe.gov.uk.