Published: Sunday, 18th October, 2009 9:00am

Heads-up on budget cuts

RESIDENTS in Slough and the Royal Borough are being encouraged to meet with NHS bosses to discuss how proposed budget cuts could affect them.

NHS Berkshire East will be hosting meetings on the 'Right Care, Right Place' programme, which aims to reshape health services in east Berkshire by bringing health services closer to home.

The meetings are being held in a bid to find out which services should be given priority in a time when budgets are being slashed as hospitals such as Heatherwood and Wexham Park face a predicted £9.9million overspend for 2009/10.

Dr Lise Llewellyn, Chief Executive of NHS Berkshire East, said: "We are continuing our ongoing conversation with local people that we started during the consultation on Right Care, Right Place. We are focusing on the health services that are important to people, their priorities and the improvements they would like to see. Like all parts of the NHS and public services generally, we are preparing for a tightening of the pursestrings in the years ahead. It makes sense to start planning at the earliest opportunity and to work with local people to make sure we make the right decisions around future priorities."

The first meeting is being held on Wedensday, November 4, at the the Marlow Road Community Centre in Maidenhead. The second will be at The Centre in Farnham Road, Slough, on Thursday, November 12. Both meetings run from 10am -12pm.

For more information call 01753 636045 or email shola.hector@berkshire.nhs.uk. To find out more about the Right Care, Right Place programme visit www.rightcarerightplace.nhs.uk