As we start the new financial year, I have real confidence that this will be the year when we achieve real change for the benefit of patients in East Surrey.

An important recent accomplishment was the work to secure the future of specialist palliative care and end-of-life care services for the residents of Caterham and surrounding areas. On 1 April 2009, services transferred from Marie Curie to St Catherine's Hospice, Crawley. Daycare will be sited at Dormers in Caterham once some building work has been finished. I would particularly like to give my personal thanks to Dr Alastair Wells and Gordon Ridgway who represented ESyDoc and ensured that the needs of the patient were kept at the centre of the lengthy discussions.

ESyDoc has also been voicing the concerns of GPs and patients at the change in screening for Down’s Syndrome and are actively putting pressure on the responsible organisations to deliver the best service for local patients. Anyone can join the debate on the public forum where there is a statement from the Board.

ESyDoc is now working on a project which includes a thorough overhaul of healthcare arrangements locally, a detailed commissioning plan with clear service specifications. We are delighted that About Health Ltd is working with the Board on this project and provides the expertise which ESyDoc lacks to make real changes.

Best wishes

Dr Joe McGilligan