MORE than 6,000 people are being asked to fill in a questionnaire which could help shape the future of healthcare in East Lancashire.

The survey forms, which will be posted out randomly to households later this week, will aim to find out what residents feel about health services in the district.

It will also discover what are the lifestyles and health needs of the East Lancashire population.

Dr Stephen Morton, East Lancashire public health director, said: "We have plenty of information about why people come into hospital and how successful they feel their treatment has been.

"But it is also important to ask people in the community what they themselves think about their health.

"This is the second survey we have done and we want to see whether things in East Lancashire have improved, what local people think is important and useful and whether initiatives to help people give up smoking and live healthier lifestyles are working. "The better the response rate, the better our information will be."

The survey will be targeted at adults only and the individual information will be confidential.

People will not even have to give their names and the survey will be similar to one conducted by health bosses in 1992.

The results will be sent to the North West Surveys and Research Unit in Manchester and health workers in East Lancashire will digest the results early next year.

The health authority is keen to get a good response from all cross-sections of the the community.

Anybody wanting information can call the health authority's helpline number and speak to Liz Walton or Kevin McKeown on 01282 610247.

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