MEMBERS of the public expressed concern over a lack of consulation over the future of primary care trusts in the NHS in Southampton.

At a meeting in the Sir James Matthews building in Southampton city centre, hundreds of health-care professionals and members of the public turned up to hear about the achievements and future plans of the local NHS.

Pharic Gillibrand, chairman of Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Authority, gave a presentation about the past year in the NHS, including the proposed changes over the next few years.

These include the formation of a number of primary care groups throughout the region and the abolition of the health authority.

The presentation also highlighted the future aims of the NHS, such as carrying out the targets set out in the national NHS plan.

Aims include reducing waiting lists - as highlighted in the National Audit Office's annual report, published yesterday.

Other targets for the NHS included recruiting more doctors and nurses, improving patient care and improving links with different health organisations in the region and the public.

Members of the public were invited to question a panel of health representatives.

Pauline Andrewes, from Eastleigh South Older People's Forum and Eastleigh Association of Parish Councils, said that members of the public had not been involved in the organisation's decision-making as much as they should have been.

She said: "It does seem to me that an opportunity has been lost here to demonstrate that patients do come first. You go for a configuration of primary care trusts without consulting the public."

Doug Huggins, a resident of Sholing, said: "I and lots of ordinary people are very concerned about how they relate to such a huge organisation. We feel that communication has not been good between ordinary people and the huge organisation.

"I was very happy that we were getting our own trust on the east of the city, and then sorry to see that, almost before it had got off the ground, it was combined with the city to make one."