VALE residents are being urged to have their say about the future direction of health services in the area.

In one of the widest surveys ever organised, the Government is seeking the views of people throughout the country - with the results due to be fed into a White Paper on community health and social care.

Mike Ridley, chief executive of South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust believes it is vital that local people have their say - as they did so eloquently during the campaign to prevent cuts at Evesham Community Hospital.

"This exercise is a chance for everyone to have their say on how to make community-based health and social care services better for everyone," he said.

"There are key issues to address such as what we can do to help older people remain independent and stay in their own homes, how we invest effectively and tackle the root causes of ill-health, should people be allowed to register with a family doctor near their home and workplace and how do we ensure continuity of care.

"More than five million people in England live more than 10 miles from a hospital and around 90 per cent of all the contact that people have with the NHS and care services takes place in the community.

"It therefore makes sense for us to focus our attention on these services and ask people for ideas."

The survey, Your Health, Your Care, Your Say, contains questions such as how can people look after themselves? and how can (future services) help take care of people and support them and their families in their daily lives?

The survey, which takes about ten minutes to complete, can be accessed on the internet at www.nhs.uk/yoursay.