Statement from Surrey Primary Care Trust read out at Save Our NHS Public Meeting held on 2nd October

6.00.05pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 4th Oct 2006

FULL STATEMENT FROM SURREY PCT

Any final scenarios on the future of healthcare across Surrey are likely to include proposals to reduce the number of major acute sites (full A&Es) across the county, and as such we could be looking at a change in role for the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, or St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey. We are also exploring how these hospitals might work more closely together.

However, it is important to point out that at this stage, no decisions have been made and these are 'emerging scenarios' only. Any final decisions for consultation will be made in due course by the new Surrey PCT, following widespread discussion with stakeholders, clinicians, staff and patient representatives.

There is still a great deal of work to be done between now and any formal consultation, and part of that work will be to look at care outside hospital and how that will support any potential changes to acute hospital services. We want to open our discussions out to as many people as possible between now and full consultation, likely to begin towards the end of the year, which is why we are being open about the emerging scenarios so far.

When we come to consult the public, it will not simply be about A&E services, but will involve a whole range of services which can be provided outside hospital and in the community. Overall, we will be looking carefully at how we can provide safe, accessible and sustainable services to the whole Surrey population, and everyone will have the chance to have their say and be heard