The planning group that has been set up to consider the future development of health services in West Wales has met for the second time. The Three Counties Planning Forum, chaired by Dr. Bruce Ferguson, medical director of Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust, met in Aberystwyth on April 26. The planning forum includes representatives from the Trusts, Local Health Boards, Community Health Councils, professional bodies and other organisations interested in the provision of health care in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. It will oversee work to develop closer links between the hospitals in the three counties. This work follows the review of acute services last year in response to Designed for Life. The remit and terms of reference for the group will be confirmed at the next meeting in June. The members of the forum were updated on the progress of the first service groups that are being set up to take forward the work of linking up services in the three counties. These are transport, access, community services, ophthalmology, ear, nose and throat (ENT) services, dermatology, diabetes, breast care, urology, and mental health. The groups will, in the main, be clinically led and will include patient representation wherever possible. Other groups will be set up as the work progresses. The planning forum members also discussed their work plan, existing regional and local service networks, concepts of public acceptability and communications. There was broad agreement on the importance of these issues to the success of the forum and further work was commissioned. Dr. Ferguson said: "This was a very positive meeting. Whilst the work is just beginning and there is much to do, I am pleased at the level of agreement and commitment to the work of the planning forum. This really does provide a new opportunity to consider how services can be better organised and delivered in the future, building on the strengths of the existing services. I am very optimistic that over time this will bring real benefits to patients, their carers and staff. "For a variety of reasons, the current system is not sustainable. The planning forum sees this planning process as an excellent opportunity to create a first-class health service locally, embracing best practice and recognising the distinct nature of the area." Bernardine Rees, the chief executive of Pembrokeshire LHB and the project director for the planning forum, said: "The planning forum will look at how the services provided in the four hospitals serving the three counties can work together more closely. It will also look at how community services can be further developed to respond more effectively to people's needs. The emphasis will be on services, not hospitals; on improving and integrating services, not on beds or buildings, and on delivering more services to patients in the community. Hospitals in the future will have different roles and will need to work together in clinical networks alongside primary care to provide the best care and clinical expertise for each patient." The next meeting of the planning forum will be held at St. David's Park, Carmarthen, on June 29. The meeting will be held in public. For further details, please contact Barbara Bowness, project support manager, on 01267 225256 or email [email protected]">[email protected].