PATIENTS who suffer problems with their NHS treatment in Lancaster could be left with nowhere to go when the community health council closes later this year.

The CHC, established in 1974, will cease operating on September 1. But its replacement - a new patient forum - is not due to come into being until next April.

Funding for the CHC's independent complaints and advocacy service (ICAS) is also due to come to an end this April.

That will leave Lancaster, like many other areas, with no-one to help steer patients through the complaints process.

Mike Collinson, chief officer of the CHC, says: "I cannot see how assistance to those who have experienced problems with their treatment will be assisted from September until new services are established.

"The majority of the ICAS services are provided either by of through CHCs and are only funded till April this year.

"Even if funding were to be given to continue these valuable services, CHCs could not host them beyond August and many will close long before that."

Services provided by the CHCs are due to be replaced by a series of new organisations created under a shake-up announced last year.

They will include a separate complaints and advocacy service, local patient forums, scrutiny committees and a commission for patients and public involvement in health.

Mr Collinson plans to meet local MPs soon to express his concern at the way the proposed changes are being handled.

And he says: "There has been a lot of concern from people who have had comp-laints against the health service and who are worried that there will be no support for them.

"There is also concern because there will be no patient input into the health service until the new structures come into being next year."