The few disappointed words I received during the election campaign in 2001 came from people living in Rock and Ribbesford who although within Wyre Forest District had been excluded from the Wyre Forest parliamentary constituency. I am very glad to learn that provisional recommendations for Worcestershire from the Boundary Commission, if accepted, will bring those parts of Wyre Forest back into the parliamentary constituency before the next general election.

I believe the most important PPI Forums will be those working with PCTs as they will represent local people’s suggestions and concerns about the NHS in all Trusts that a particular PCT’s patients use. It is crucial that we have interested and dedicated local people as members of all these Trusts and, as readers will understand, particularly vital that we have members on PCT PPI Forums. There is not much time left because applications have to be in early in October. Please, if you feel you could serve local people by offering yourself for service on a PPI Forum, contact the National Recruitment Campaign and request details and an application pack. The telephone number is 0845 120 7115 or you can register on line at HYPERLINK "http://www.maketimeforhealth.org" - www.maketimeforhealth.org

Another major change is in the way to obtain help with making complaints about the NHS as CHCs are about to be abolished. This will be given by the Independent Complaints Advocacy Service, based in Worcester provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau. The phone number for initial contact is 0845 120 3748. I will be very interested in comments from anybody who has to use this service because I need to know how friendly, effective and local it proves to be. We have been very lucky up until now with the sympathy and efficiency with which our CHC officers have supported complainants and I would like to thank them for all they have done as well as expressing sincere appreciation to the CHC Chair and members for the many fights they have put up on our behalf during past years.

Tomorrow will see two local funerals of significance to all of us. We will pay our tributes to Ian Rimell the heroic, Mines Advisory Group, bomb disposal expert so pointlessly murdered in Iraq and to Mick Grinnall, dedicated servant of the people of Stourport for many years who has died suddenly and unexpectedly.

R.T.