RESIDENTS of the Forest of Dean are being asked for their say on local health services via The Forest of Dean Health Forum’s questionnaire.

The Forest of Dean Health Forum is a network of local people that focus on health and the community. It looks to learn about the services being delivered and the outcomes that matter to locals.

The questionnaire looks to gather data which will be shared with key stakeholders at the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Primary Care Networks (PCN), in the hopes for positive action for local people.

Alex Digby, Community Team Manager for the Forest Voluntary Action Forum said: “This questionnaire, which has already received over 200 responses, aims to give Forest of Dean residents a real voice in shaping local healthcare. By capturing lived experiences from across our communities, it will help ensure future decisions are rooted in what truly matters to the people who live here.”

In July, the data will be used to help inform the direction of “The Big Health Debate”. The debate will identify the significant themes that emerge, and allow stakeholders such as ICB to understand more about what local people think about health services in a more direct way.

Following the discussions, The Forest of Dean Health Forum will aim to agree short, medium, and long-term actions to drive improvements across the Forest of Dean.

The plans come following The Forest Health Forum becoming part of the Forest Know Your Patch network at the beginning of the year. It outlined at the time that one of its priorities was to conduct a big health survey, which would be shared widely in the Forest community.

The questionnaire can be found online, via a QR code, or physical copies can be provided by request to the Forest Voluntary Action Forum on 01594 822073.