Members of the public are being urged to have their say on the future of the National Health Service across a large area of North Yorkshire.

A 13-week consultation ends on Thursday, January 5 but already the public has identified major themes for the future of services overseen by Harrogate and the wider district including Knaresborough, the Boroughbridge area and a cluster of villages north, south, east and west of the the core area.

The Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust (PCT) has listed eight main themes already identified during preliminary consultation.

They are:

* More services from GP practices

* Sharing premises for one-stop walk-in health centres

* Develop services in communities

* Improve provision of information about local services

* Increase places on NHS dental lists

* Develop range of services at pharmacies

* More health promotion

* Better transport links to reach services

A spokesman for the PCT says it has already picked up useful comments from earlier consultation processes.

To help with options the public is being asked to answer key questions.

Questions include:

* What health services are needed more locally

* What support is needed to improve and maintain health

* Views on centres bringing together a range of services

* Where should such centres be sited

The PCT oversees spending of more than £220m on the NHS each year.

The trust points out that health and social care services will be changing over the next few years.

Meanwhile the Government is mid-way through its ten-year NHS plan which outlines a vision for a health service designed around the patient.

Views on local options put forward to the PCT can be sent to Freepost NEA 16164 CHRD PCT, Hornbeam Park Harrogate HG2 8RE by noon on January 5.