PEOPLE across Worcestershire have until the end of this week to have their say on how community nursing and therapy services are run across the county.

Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust – which provides a range of non-emergency services throughout the county – is running a survey into how these services are run to see if any improvements could be made.

The organisation is looking into ways to ensure patients receive better treatment with provisional plans including setting up five community bases across the county providing the majority of inpatient and clinic-bases activity.

While home visits will still be carried out, health bosses are looking into providing more treatment in clinics with the idea that the social aspect of meeting other patients and spending more time with healthcare workers may help ease their recovery.

Patients currently being treated by community nursing and therapy teams are being handed copies of the survey and an online version is available for anyone else, with a deadline for responses of Sunday, September 14.

The trust’s Dr Ian Douglas said the survey may help them identify ways patients can be treated in a way which not only helps them recover more quickly but also eases the burden on stretched health services.

“Patients may get more out of a visit to a clinic in comparison to being seen at home because they may see more than one professional when they are at the clinic and as a result more problems can be sorted out there and then,” he said.

“I think we also underestimate how much support and help patients can get from meeting other patients who are facing the same problems and challenges that they are facing.

“For some people and their families there will be the inconvenience of getting to the clinic but this needs to be weighed up against the potential benefits not only for the person themselves but also for the people who are too unwell to leave their homes under any circumstances.

“These people may not currently be seen as often as they could be because professionals are spending time travelling to see patients who do not really need to be seen at home.”

Patients, carers or any interested members of the public can complete the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/PatientQ while members of voluntary community sector organisations can fill in a separate form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/2T6WSJK.

For more information call 01905 681 502 or visit www.hacw.nhs.uk/communityservicesdevelopment.