HEALTH chiefs have pledged to tackle patients’ concerns about GP surgeries in Kirklees.

A recent consultation showed that struggling to get GP appointments and waiting times are the key issue for patients in Kirklees.

Patients gave a local action group their views about local health and social care services during an action day.

Health chiefs say they are now working to implement changes based on the feedback to benefit patients throughout Kirklees.

The Making It Better event was organised by the action group, Kirklees Local Involvement Network – or Kirklees LINk for short – which involves people across Kirklees in making decisions about their health and social care.

Top of patients wish list are improvements in access to GP appointments, waiting times and anger at being asked to call back at another time.

The same issues also related to access to hospital services.

Katie Hayes, support worker at Kirklees LINk said: “We had a really good day and a lot of positive feedback which we can now work from.

“We came out with five projects which we will now take forward and hope to make some difference for patients.”

As well as issues surrounding GP surgeries and hospital appointments, patients said they would like to see improvements or more information about care homes and caring for someone in their own home.

Health equality and neurological problems and issues were also discussed during the action day.

Katie Hayes added: “We now have to collate all the information and look at what people have told us and how we can move forward to benefit everyone.

“We will then invite everyone back to help us implement it.”

The information event look place at Brian Jackson House, in Huddersfield.

Patients were asked to share their interests, views, worries and aspirations for health and social care services.

Organisers noted patients’ likes and dislikes and are now collating the information and working with the organisations who run the services to make improvements.

Visit www.kirkleeslink.cloverleaf-advocacy.org.uk for more information.