NHS leaders ask for your views on maternity and children's services

Maternity and children’s services will be the subject of the events as part of ‘conversations’ by officials for the Better Health Programme.

Eleven will be held at venues across the North East and North Yorkshire next month, including three in the Hartlepool area and East Durham.

The NHS in Darlington, Durham and Tees, says the programme is about changing NHS services to meet people’s changing needs.

An engagement event for the next phase will be held at Hartlepool College of Further Education, Stockton Street, on Monday, February 6, at 5.30pm-7.30pm.

One will also be held at Shotton Hall, Old Shotton, Peterlee, on Tuesday, February 7, at 6pm-8pm.

Another will take place at Sedgefield Parish Hall, Front Street, Sedgefield, on Tuesday, February 23, at 11am-1pm.

Better Health Programme leaders say it has engaged with over 100 local groups during a three month exercise by working with the Voluntary Organisations’ Network North East (VONNE).

Dr Stewart Findlay, clinical lead for the programme, said: “The aim is to meet the care needs of the whole population, and VONNE and their voluntary sector partners, who have close connections with service users, have provided a key insight in to the opinions of groups whose views may otherwise go unheard.

“Our job is to feed these views into the programme and use this information to influence future decisions.

“We are grateful to all partners, groups and individuals who have been involved in the process so far.

“Further engagement, both with the public and partners, and with community groups, will continue in the coming months.”

To sign up to attend one of the events, visit www.nhsbetterhealth.org.uk or call (01642) 745401.