A SERIES of drop-in sessions in Craven will help people to have their say on the future provision of health services in the area – and the future of Castleberg Hospital – are continuing.
The sessions are open to anyone who wants to contribute to the discussions about intermediate, end-of-life and palliative care services following the temporary withdrawal of services at Castleberg Hospital.
Before a formal consultation on the future of the services starts later in the year, NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) wants to talk to people in Craven to find out what matters to them, what they need from services and the best ways of consulting them.
Working with partners, the CCG has identified some potential options for early discussion with people to find out if, or how, they might satisfy their health and care needs.
They are: keep Castleberg Hospital open;close the hospital and provide care in a different way; or build, or use, an alternative facility. Other options identified through engagement with local people will also be fully considered.
Following the engagement sessions, the CCG will assess all of the options against a range of criteria including patient safety and experience, clinical effectiveness, levels of care, and cost.
Dr James Thomas, clinical chair of NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, said: “We would like to hear their views so that we can provide the right services in the Craven area.
"It’s vital that we understand what is important to people, and why because their views can really make a difference to the options we propose as part of the formal consultation.”
Public presentations are ongoing, and forthcoming meetings are: at the Devonshire Institute, Main Street, Grassington, on Thursday, September 7, between 5pm and 7pm and Bentham Golf Club in Robin Lane, on Friday September 15 between 11am and 1pm.
People can register their interest to receive information about the engagement and future consultation by: emailing engage@awcccg.nhs.uk
or completing the form at: www.airedalewharfedalecravenccg.nhs.uk/castleberg-hospital/
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