On behalf of the staff, nurses and doctors of East Lancashire Medical Services I would like to express my sincere thanks for the personal messages of support sent to us and the positive comments made on your Lancashire Telegraph website regarding the out-of-hours service.

In 2010 the management team started wondering of ways in which to fully and honestly engage staff and patients in our service, using their opinions and talents develop services and meet their needs.

We initially wondered how we could ensure that every locality we covered could be engaged, and how we could deliver the individual care each diverse group needed.

This is where the concept of a Patient’s Voice Group came in, and Mrs Feeney worked hard with Mr Diack, Mr Pickles and Mr McLean to develop this idea.

We are very grateful for the support this group have given to ELMS over the past week. In my 35 years of working in the NHS I have never experienced such a public passion and belief in the NHS as I have seen over the last week, and I am personally humbled, and professionally proud that I am part of the community which will go the extra mile to support its services.

We appreciate that the decision to tender the Out of Hours contract was not an easy one to make and empathise with the Commissioners, GP’s and Board, who have always supported this organisation, and made the decision based on their best intentions, but seem to have taken the brunt of the criticism.

We know that there is still a long journey ahead of us.

Thank you does not seem to be enough to reflect the appreciation the team here want to show, however we do thank you, sincerely and from the bottom of our hearts and we hope that whatever the outcome you will continue to support the NHS, ELMS, and the doctors and nurses who work outside of their day jobs to deliver a quality service to you when you are most at need.

Diane Ridgway MBA BSc RGN Chief Executive, ELMS.