More chances to give your views on hospital proposals

Health bosses have announced another round of discussion sessions with the public and staff over plans to rearrange hospital services in Sunderland and South Tyneside.

NHS bosses are looking to make changes to maternity, stroke care and urgent and emergency services for children and young people under their “Path to Excellence” programme concerning South Tyneside District Hospital and Sunderland Royal Hospital.

South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust formed a “strategic alliance” in March 2016 known as South Tyneside and Sunderland Healthcare Group and are now looking at how to organise services within the new partnership. Health chiefs say they are simply looking at how best to provide services within their current budgets - and are canvassing opinions from staff and the public to ensure they do this in the best possible way.

Now they have announced additional public consultation events to gather views around the different ways some aspects of hospital services could be arranged.

These include a consultation on Saturday, September 16, at The Hetton Centre, in Welfare Road, from 10am12.30pm; an event focused on maternity and women’s services at Sunderland Software Centre, in Tavistock Road, from 6-8pm on Tuesday, September 19; a question and answer session at Bunny Hill Centre, in Hylton Lane, from 6-8pm on Wednesday, September 20 and an event focused on children and young people’s services on Thursday, September 28 at Washington Arts Centre, in Biddick Lane, from 6-8pm.