HEALTH service workers and volunteers held wide-ranging discussions about how the NHS in the Morecambe Bay area could be modernised.

Doctors, nurses, practice managers, consultants and those who work with voluntary groups were involved in round-the-table talks at the Netherwood Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, to help draw up action plans to improve services in the area.

They identified areas where improvements to services could be made and also focused on some of the success stories that could be built upon.

It is all part of a modernisation review, which is being undertaken throughout the country following the publication last summer of the Government's NHS Plan.

Three meetings are being held in the Morecambe Bay area with the first taking place at Barrow and the final one today in Lancaster.

Those who were at the Grange meeting highlighted the farmers' health project, rapid response teams, the smoking cessation programme, theatre use at Westmorland General Hospital, Kendal, and information and posters in GP practices as examples of good practice.

But they felt there was a lack of neurologists in the area, children's services in South Lakeland had been "severely neglected," particularly in the area of psychology, pain management was poor and there were calls for everybody who has had a stroke to have a brain scan within 24 hours.

MBHA's director of planning Stephen Parry said the purpose of the meetings had been to raise awareness of what work had been done towards implementing the NHS Plan, to get some idea of best practice in the different areas and to get people to think about how they might be involved in improving services.

A report highlighting the issues raised at the meetings will be prepared at the end of the month and eventually action teams will be developed to work in priority areas identified by those who attended the review discussions.

Any member of the public wanting to express their views can contact Mr Parry 01539-797829 or Mary Choiseul 01539-797813.