THE people of Herefordshire are being given a chance to have their say on health.

It is a subject which affects everyone but few know how to influence the decisions made on their behalf.

The answer is said to lie partly in newly formed Patient and Public Involvement in Health Forums which should offer everyone the opportunity to have their say about the issues that concern them in their own communities.

Such a forum was set up by Herefordshire Primary Care Trust a year ago, its duty to look at the work undertaken by the trust and to advise it on the sort of health services communities would like to meet its needs.

The forum is independent and can challenge the trust if it is thought it is not working in the best interests of the public, by referring it to a scrutiny committee.

The Herefordshire PCT Forum is meeting next week and people are invited along to ask questions about its work and to find out what issues it was planning to consider this year.

Shelagh Callaghan who is the PPI Forum Project Co-ordinator in Herefordshire said it would help members to provide full answers if notice of the questions to be asked were given prior to the meeting.

"The forums are what they claim to be, encouraging both patients and public involvement. If you do not have time to be a forum member you can still help influence how health services are delivered by feeding into the systems.

"This is a brand new initiative and a real opportunity to make a difference in informing health care issues in the county,'' she said.

The forum meeting will be held at the Fred Bulmer centre in Wall Street, Hereford on Wednesday, January 21 at 12-30pm.

Anyone with a question can get in touch with Shelagh Callaghan on 01432 354975, by email s.dunn@btconnect.com or write to her at the centre in Wall Street.