Melksham will get a say on the future of its health care

PEOPLE in Melksham made their voices heard on the future of health care in the area at a public meeting held by local health campaigners.

The public meeting held on March 2nd at the Assembly Hall was one of a series of meetings organised by Melksham Seniors Forum designed to make more people aware of the NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) for Wiltshire.

The meeting outlined the plans and implications the STP will have on local health care in the years ahead.

134 people attended the meeting and were able to discuss with representatives from Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) their concerns about health care.

Brian Warwick, chair of Melksham Seniors said, “I was delighted at the tremendous public turnout and the determination of the public in their demands to be allowed to play a key role in ensuring the local STP is fit for purpose and that it meets the communities’ health and care needs.”

Martin Pain, vice-chair of Melksham Seniors said,  “Well, we did it. Melksham did it. Melksham has made its voice heard and informed those entrusted with delivering our health and care of our wants, needs and concerns, via well attended meetings, where we were able to hear several presentations.”

Tracey Cox, interim accountable officer at Wiltshire CCG said, “It is very clear to us, as the representatives of the NHS in Wiltshire, that Melksham people share the same deep passion we have for our National Health Service.  We heard loud and clear that people are very concerned about the future of services and we understand your reasons for concern.

“At the meeting we described the very significant challenges we face, as well as some of the opportunities we can take to ensure Wiltshire people can access high quality, sustainable and safe, physical and mental health care into the future.

“NHS organisations and councils from across BANES, Swindon and Wiltshire have, together, begun to shape a plan – our STP – which considers the reasons services and systems need to change and how we might provide them differently in a way that benefits patients and helps people stay healthier for longer. We still have some way to go, and our plans will continue to develop, but we know that we will only be successful with the involvement of local people. We commit to doing just that; we urge anyone who is interested to please look out for details of public meetings over the coming months to see how you can help us.

“In the meantime you can read a short summary of our developing STP by visiting our website at:  www.wiltshireccg.nhs.uk and following the links to ‘Our STP’.”