Public Meeting - Older People's Forum Asks: "How Will Health and Social Care Services Changes Affect Us?"

The North Norfolk Older People's Forum scheduled for Friday 15 April 2005 in North Walsham has been cancelled due to its proximity to the General Election.

The cancellation is a result of guidelines issued by the Department of Health which states that NHS staff must not engage in activities which may be seen as party political.

In this case, the public meeting was to have included representatives from the North Norfolk Primary Care Trust, Norfolk County Council Social Services, the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Partnership and the East Anglian Ambulance Trust, as well as local politicians.

Contr oversial and well-publicised issues surrounding health care provision in Cromer, North Walsham and Wells-next-the-Sea had been planned for discussion at the event. New health and social care services for the District had also been on the agenda.

Chairman of the North Norfolk Old People's Forum, Gordon Hare, said: "We are extremely disappointed to have been obliged to cancel at this late stage; the Executive Committee had put in a considerable amount of time and effort, and we were looking forward to a lively and informative meeting."

North Norfolk District Council had been acting as a facilitator for the North Norfolk Older People's Forum. For more information, contact Sonia Shuter at NNDC on 01263 516173.