Last week I attended a conference in Bournemouth organised by the NHS Alliance on engaging professionals and the public in health decisions.

It was excellent to hear many people, including John Reid, Secretary of State for Health, and Sharon Grant, who chairs the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, emphasise that this Government is determined to involve ordinary people in decision making. I believe this is a tribute to our efforts here.

Evidence of the first real attempt at national public involvement was demonstrated at a reception in the House of Commons on October 14 when I was privileged to act as host.

This allowed members of the Citizens Council of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to meet the Secretary of State and other important people in the NHS to discuss the work they are doing to advise NICE about its deliberations.

I was impressed to meet this stimulating group of ordinary people from all walks of life who are determined to show how effective they can be in this role.

It remains to be seen if the Government and NHS staff will act on advice gained from this pioneering group of NHS users.

I plan to watch their progress closely. I was pleased that John Reid, while addressing them, acknowledged that the NHS belongs to the people and not to the doctors, politicians or managers - as we have pointed out frequently.

More good news includes the opening of the super Shaw Hedge Road play area in Wribbenhall and the approval of the Council's expression of interest bid to the Government Office of the West Midlands for the Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder - Round 2 - Oldington and Foley Park Ward.

The Council must now submit a detailed bid but having got this far, we can be optimistic of success which will bring generous financial support to the area. Also, I understand that an arts centre in the refurbished Town Hall and the Corn Exchange is becoming more likely.

Work in the Diagnostic and Treatment Centre at Kidderminster Hospital progresses well and it is still expected to open around Christmas.

I am encouraged by meetings with John Rostill, chief executive of the Acute Hospitals Trust, that there is recognition that the more that is done at Kidderminster Hospital the better it will be for the whole of the county.

Serious consideration is being given to the return of prostate operations for fitter men at Kidderminster, and as the DTC will possess not one but four laminar flow operating theatres, hip and knee replacement operations will be essential to justify these superb facilities.

It is at last accepted that we need better services for emergencies to enable people who now go to Worcester unnecessarily to remain in Kidderminster. The Primary Care Trust is developing exciting plans for this purpose.