A HEALTH trust yesterday outlined the work it has done following a large-scale public consultation.

Hundreds of people told Craven, Harrogate and Rural District Primary Care Trust (PCT) what they wanted from their local hospitals and GPs at the end of last year.

They called for as many services as possible to be near their homes, greater facilities at Ripon Community Hospital, better public transport and closer integration with social services.

The PCT said yesterday that work has been undertaken to look at data on health inequalities in individual wards at Ripon Community Hospital.

Assessments of the capacity of GP premises, including their disability access, have also been carried out.

Initial work has started to explore opportunities for the NHS to make more use of the facilities offered at homes for elderly people at Maple Creek in Masham and Springfield Garth in Boroughbridge.

Lynda Wigley, director of primary care and patient and public involvement at the PCT, said: "There is a great deal of work going on behind the scenes as a result of the public consultation, involving the PCT and its partners. This will result in the development of an agreed strategic service vision.

"We will also be looking at how new national developments will impact on the local picture. These include the initiative to increase the amount of choice individual patients have about where they are seen, as well as giving GP practices more say on deciding how and where NHS budgets are spent.

"Finally, we are mindful that the PCT is planning to do a further consultation in Harrogate and Knaresborough later this year, so people there have the same opportunity to have their say about their local services.

"We are exploring whether it would make sense, after this concludes, to develop a single plan for modernising services right across the Harrogate and rural district."