A JUDICIAL review could be held into claims of a "total lack" of consumer involvement in the health service in Bury.

Officials of the newly-formed Bury and District Health Service User Forum are consulting their solicitors with a view to a judicial review on the issue.

Their action follows a rebuttal of their requests for meetings with the borough's health and social services bosses.

They had been asked to get "round the table" to discuss the Forum's aims for the development of "rightful consumer involvement in decision making processes."

The Forum, which has more than 600 members, had written to Bury and Rochdale Health Authority, Bury NHS Trust and Bury Council Social Services.

But Forum chairman, Mr Mel Bradburn says they received no reply nor acknowledgement from Social Services or NHS Trust chiefs.

And he says Forum documents sent to Bury and Rochdale Health Authority were returned.

Mr Bradburn, of Bury New Road, Whitefield, said: "This has forced us to come to the conclusion that health bosses refuse to meet representatives of the members of the public.

"Therefore, our organisation is referring the matter to our legal representatives."

And he disclosed: "Procedures are being put into place to carry out a judicial review of the total lack of bona fide consumer input into the decision making processes for health services in the town.

"Our membership is growing daily and this is very heartening for user representatives."

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