Public meetings on health consultation

Hywel Dda Health Board will launch its extensive programme of public events next week as part of the most important healthcare consultation process ever seen in Mid and West Wales.

The programme will kick-start with three large scale public meetings that will take a Question Time format, to be held in Llanelli on Tuesday September 4, Aberystwyth on Wednesday September 5 and Haverfordwest on Thursday September 20.

They will offer local people the opportunity to question the health board on Your Health, Your Future – Consulting Our Communities, which details proposals to improve services and patient outcomes for communities now and in the future.

Hywel Dda Health Board Chairman Chris Martin has urged people to get involved: “The views of local people, staff and stakeholders are really important to us and we recognise the enthusiasm and passion that has been shown for the NHS. There are many different ways in which people can get involved – from attending one of pubic events to visiting our online resource.”

The events will host a panel who can answer questions from the public. Panel members will include senior representatives and healthcare professionals from the health board, and invited representatives from the community health council, political representatives and health interest groups (final confirmations are not available at this time).

Questions will be taken in a mixed format – submissions in advance of the day, submissions at the start of the event, and, as can be accommodated, questions from the floor during the event itself. This will be facilitated by event chair Dale Hall from Opinion Research Services – an independent organisation appointed to capture and analyse feedback from the consultation.

Decisions on the location and timings of events have been based around areas of population, access, capacity numbers and availability of both venues and panel members.

If you would like to ask the health board a question at the public meetings, please submit these in advance either by:

• Writing to the health board at FREEPOST HYWEL DDA HEALTH BOARD

• E-mailing the health board at hyweldda.engagement@wales.nhs.uk

• Leaving your question on the telephone answer machine 01437 771232

There will be further opportunities on the night to submit a question to the panel or to ask a questions as a member of the audience.

There will be further opportunities during the consultation to talk with senior health board representatives and healthcare professionals on a one-to-one basis at the drop in Meet the Health Board events: