PEOPLE across the district are being invited to have their say on bold and ambitious plans to transform urgent and emergency care services across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.

The three clinical commissioning groups, NHS Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, NHS Bradford City CCG and NHS Bradford Districts CCG, have unveiled a joint strategy which sets out how urgent and emergency care services in the district will develop over the next five years.

The overall aim of the strategy is for services to meet people’s needs, be high quality, clinically safe and affordable as well as being easy to understand and use, be responsive and be joined up with other health and social care services.

The CCGs have now started a period of public consultation which will run until the end of September so people can comment on the proposals and influence the future shape of these important local services.

Dr Andy Withers, clinical chairman of Bradford Districts CCG, said: “This strategy isn’t about change for change’s sake. It’s about improving the way people access and experience services, building on what works well and proposing changes to the areas that need to be improved. A key part of this is joined-up health and social care: so people can be supported with the right care at home, and reduce the demand on urgent and emergency care services.”

One of the most ambitious changes proposed is for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to develop a new major emergency care centre (MECC) to deal with major emergencies and build on its existing strengths and specialist services. It also wants to upgrade its facilities by creating an urgent care centre to focus on minor illnesses and accidents.

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust is also committed to working on better ways to manage emergency care, Dr Colin Renwick, clinical chairman of Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG, said: “Overall, our current services are rated highly by patients. They deliver good outcomes for patients and meet most targets but, increasingly, people are expecting to have 24-hour access to services, all year round, and to be able to see who they want, when they want – so we need to develop services which make it easier for people to get the right service first time.”

Expectations included in the strategy are to deliver improved experiences and health outcomes, better access to primary care and a reduction in hospital stays.

The strategy is at bradforddistrictsccg.nhs.uk/current-consultations/urgent-care-strategy/ and people can have their say on the plans by either emailing consultation@bradford.nhs.uk or visit the website and fill in the feedback form. Letters can also be sent to CCG urgent care strategy engagement, Freepost RTEK-UHKG-UBEK, Douglas Mill, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford BD5 7JR.