OVER stretched accident and emergency departments and people waiting too long for GP appointments mean that health bosses want to try and find a way to make people healthier while also saving money.

A blueprint for the next five years has being drawn up for Wiltshire, Swindon and Bath and North East Somerset to find a way to reduce obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and self harm.

Alarming figures contained in the sustainability and transformation plan show that in Swindon people are fatter than the national average and also smoke more.

In Wiltshire there is a higher number than average of people with blood pressure and people with long term conditions take up 50 per cent of all GP appointments in Swindon.

In Swindon and Bath and North East Somerset there are significantly worse admission rates for self-harm than is average in England.

All of these things put extra pressure on accident and emergency departments and GP time.

The plan says that in 2015/16 the healthcare spend was about £1,570 per person. It is estimated this will go up to £1,760 per person by 2020/21 when the expected budget for then is only £1.650 per person.

The report says: "We therefore need to make choices over the next five years on how services are provided. We need to support people to stay healthier and independent for longer.

"We need to reduce the duplication, variation and potential gaps between the various health and social care organisations so that residents receive a consistent service."

People will have the chance to find out more about the plans when governors Jan Taylor and Chris Callow from the Royal United Hospital, Bath host a meeting in Malmesbury Town Hall today (24) from 2pm.

Mr Callow, from Devizes, said: “We hope residents will come along as we look forward to meeting you. We want to hear your views about our services to share them with the Trust’s Board of Directors through the Council of Governors.”

At the same meeting, RUH Commercial Director Jocelyn Foster will provide an update on the Sustainability Transformation Plan.

There will also be an update on the Trust’s 15 Step Challenge which assesses how welcoming and well organised our outpatient departments are within the first 15 steps patients take across the threshold.

Brian Stables, Chairman of the Trust said: “All of the feedback we gather will be taken to the next Council of Governors meeting in December and it will be used to influence the RUH’s priorities and future business plans."

To book a place email: ruhmembership@nhs.net. We look forward to seeing you there.”