DOCTORS leading the consultation on the future of urgent care services at Northallerton’s Friarage Hospital are calling on residents to contribute before the process ends on Friday.

As part of the consultation led by the local NHS Commissioning Group (CCG), in partnership with South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, 13 public meetings have already been held.

The final meeting is at 10.15am this Friday, January 17 at Northallerton Town Hall, and all are welcome to attend.

In addition to the public meetings, a series of focus groups and street surveys have taken place, to ensure feedback is received from as wide an audience as possible.

More than 1,300 people have already completed a survey to share their views on proposals for the future of the hospital’s urgent care service.

Anyone wanting to take part can access the survey online via the CCG website.

Dr Charles Parker, Clinical Chair of the CCG, said: “We would like to encourage as many people as possible to have their say.

“Under the new model, more than nine out of ten people will continue to receive healthcare in Northallerton.

“Our aim is to maximise local access to high quality services, and the new Urgent Treatment Centre would provide care for 97 per cent of those that attended A&E last year.

“This service is backed up by the consultant led admissions unit with daily admissions and has seen a return to the treatment of minor illnesses in children in the local area, which under the previous adults A&E model we couldn’t provide.”

There are two options for future urgent and emergency care. The first involves replacing A&E with a 24/7 Urgent Treatment Centre supported by a responsive front-of-house emergency medical service.

The second option would see A&E replaced with a 16-hour Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) that would close between midnight and 8am. Residents can complete the survey at snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=156752408527