PATIENTS are being given more chance to have a say on how Worcestershire's hospitals are run.

A panel set up to let patients help make decisions on hospital services is being expanded, and anyone who wants to join is being invited to apply .

The Patients Partnership Panel (PPP) was established in 2002 by the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust in a bid to improve communications with the people served by the Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and the Alexandra, in Redditch.

It currently has 13 volunteer members who let Trust bosses know what patients think of the way things are done.

PPP meetings are chaired by Colin Beardwood, a non-executive director of the trust, and supported by the trust's director of nursing, Rachel Overfield, and patient services manager, Stephen Onions.

"We now have the opportunity to expand the membership of our PPP and we are looking for people who have a genuine interest in making a contribution to our services," said Mr Onions.

"They will be involved in a wide range of issues, including the results of hospital surveys, designing questionnaires, and quality monitoring of our services across all our hospital sites."

Panel members must be over 18 and able to commit to regular meetings.

Anyone who is interested should write to Stephen Onions, explaining why they would like to be involved and enclosing their CV.

Write to Patient Services Manager, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Newtown Management Centre, Worcester, WR5 1HN.