CCGs braced for service reform in Lancashire

Greater Preston Clinical Commissioning Group is expected to form a joint committee today with Chorley and South Ribble CCG, which can help lead the Your Hospitals, Your Health programme.

A paper to go to the CCGs’ board meetings today says the programme will be the vehicle “through which any future public consultation on the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust service and site reconfiguration is redesigned”.

The trust runs the Royal Preston Hospital and Chorley and South Ribble Hospital, which are about 14 miles apart. Several services are provided at both sites, including emergency departments and critical care.

The trust is in severe financial difficulties, having forecast a deficit of more than £32m for 2015-16.