FOUR in five Forest GP surgeries are unaware of the county’s Minor Injury Unit Review, according to the district’s health champion.

Cllr Craig Lawton (Con: Oxenhall and Newent North East) fears patients may have missed out on the chance to decide the opening hours of the two Forest minor injury units.

Cllr Lawton said when he asked the surgeries for survey results only Cinderford could respond.

He said: “It’s not good enough.”

The public consultation led by Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust outlines three proposals to maintain the safety and quality of services provided at both Lydney and the Dilke hospitals. The suggestions are: close both at 8pm, take no action, or close one unit at 8pm.

Responses must be received by midnight on August 31 before a final decision is made on September 20.

He said: “I was shocked when I rang around a number of health centres in the Forest.

“Of the five that I have spoken to in our major towns, just one was aware of the Minor Injury Unit review and had copies of the proposals as well as feedback forms for patients to have their say.

“Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust has reassured me that they are doing a number of things to help make residents aware of the review and the proposals. This includes updating its website to make it easier and more user-friendly for residents to respond.”

He added: “I am confident that Gloucestershire NHS officials truly believe that the information is available in all their GP practices. However this brings into question whether the rest of the work that Gloucestershire Care Service NHS Trust say they have done has actually found its way to the people that really matter in all this – local residents.”

Cllr Lawton, who has held the role of health champion in the Forest for just over a year, noted discussions with some local NHS staff indicated they were unaware of the review.

He added: “We have to remember that many of the people who work in our hospitals in the Forest, and throughout the county, are themselves residents and deserve to have their say as well.”

The Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust failed to provide a comment before the Review went to press.

An information bus will be at Coleford Clock Tower on Thursday, August 18 between 1.30pm and 3pm.

To register your choice visit www.glos-care.nhs.uk