HEALTH Service leaders in Great Yarmouth and Waveney this week united in urging members of the public to have their say on the proposed NHS constitution.

HEALTH Service leaders in Great Yarmouth and Waveney this week united in urging members of the public to have their say on the proposed NHS constitution.

Published earlier this summer as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the National Health Service, it sets out for the first time the rights and responsibilities linked to entitlement to NHS care.

A constitution will effectively be a bill of rights for patients and is seen as a major reform - comparable to Gordon Brown giving the Bank of England control of interest rates when he was chancellor.

Bernard Williamson, chairman of Great Yarmouth and Waveney Primary Care Trust (PCT), and John Hemming, chairman of James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, this week urged as many people as possible to respond to the national consultation.

Mr Williamson said: “The NHS Constitution is about safeguarding the core principles and values of the Health Service for the next generation while setting a clear direction for the future.

“It reaffirms rights to NHS services, free of charge and with equal access for all, and it enshrines patient rights to choice and to NICE-approved drugs recommended by clinicians.

“It aims to empower both staff and patients, and has been developed from the bottom up, with the active engagement of staff, patients and the public.

“The NHS is the property of the people which is why I want to see many residents of the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area taking part in this important consultation.”

He added that there would be a presentation about the NHS constitution at the PCT's annual meeting which is open to the public. It will be held at the PCT's headquarters in Common Lane North, Beccles, on Tuesday, September 30, beginning at 5.30pm.

John Hemming, chairman of the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The proposed NHS Constituion safeguards the future of the NHS and includes a clear explanation of your rights.

“The NHS belongs to us all. The constitution is designed to reflect what matters, whether you are a patient or a member of staff. We welcome your views.”

The constitution will be presented prior to a public meeting of the Governors Council in the Celebration Suite, Burrage Centre, James Paget University Hospital, on Friday, October 3, beginning at 9.30am. Trust members and any members of the public are welcome to attend to give their views.

The consultation on the contents of the constitution and how to put it into practice began on June 30 and ends on October 17.