A SURVEY in to ways to improve the health service in Worcestershire has received a disappointing response from patients.

Worcestershire Primary Care Trust received just 27 letters and emails for the Developing a Strategy for Health, but health chiefs say the level of input was still "extremely valuable".

The biggest concern for patients to the survey, distributed across the county in November and this month, was about cleanliness, consultant appointment delays, waiting time for out patients and wastage of stationery.

Other issues raised were increased patient-participation in GP practices, extension of GP practice opening hours and car parking.

The PCT's chief executive Paul Bates said: "There has been a disappointingly low level of responses."

However, PCT chairman Bryan Smith maintained the exercise had still been a useful one.

He said: "It has still been a valuable exercise and my thanks go out to those who took part. There were some good ideas in this."

The publication of the strategy has also been complicated by the interim report by Health Minister Lord Darzi, 'Our NHS Our Future', issued last October ahead of the publication of the final report in June.

The PCT board now needs to balance the demands of the Strategic Health Authority against the work of Lord Darzi and the Operating Framework.

The board opted to delay the publication of the Worcestershire Strategy for Health until the autumn to fit in better with the national guidelines on health strategy for PCTs across the country.