THE public is being urged to demonstrate the strength of their feelings on major changes to the way that health services are provided.

North Yorkshire County Council's scrutiny of health committee is to discuss a review of the NHS acute services in Hartlepool and Teesside next week.

Councillors fear the review could have a knock-on effect on the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.

The report, by Professor Sir Ara Darzi, includes proposals for upper gastro-intestinal services at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, to be transferred to North Tees Hospital, in Stockton. New arrangements will be introduced for vascular surgery.

The review includes proposals to change maternity and paediatric arrangements at the North Tees and Hartlepool Hospitals NHS Trust.

Families in Stockton took to the streets two week ago to protest about the plans to remove services from North Tees Hospital.

Now councillor John Blackie, chairman of the scrutiny of health committee, is trying to get as many people as possible to attend the meeting, which takes place in the recreation hall at the Friarage Hospital at 7pm on Wednesday.

He said: "I would urge members of the public to attend this meeting so that, locally, the NHS is in no doubt about the strength of feeling about the need to protect services at the James Cook and the Friarage hospitals.

"The committee is extremely concerned that senior consultants and clinicians at the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust are not convinced that the Darzi proposals are in the best health interest of communities in Teesside and North Yorkshire.

"I'm also concerned that the Darzi proposals might have an adverse impact on the guarantee that the Friarage Hospital recently received for the future of core services, such as maternity and accident and emergency.

"James Cook is an excellent hospital, but it's a further 25 miles away for many people in North Yorkshire."