A group spearheading patient power in local healthcare services is trying to reach out to more people and organisations in a bid to get more of the community involved.

The Illkey Moor Medical Practice’s Patient Council is working to forge links with hospitals, community groups, schools and the police in a bid to better represent patients’ views.

The practice, based at the Springs Medical Centre, Springs Lane,serves 13,000 registered patients in and around Ilkley, and has nine GPs plus nurses and staff.

The Patient Council was founded in 2003, when few such groups existed nationwide, to provide a formal link between the practice doctors and staff, and representatives of the thousands of patients.

The Patient Council has a notice board at Springs Medical Centre., and minutes can be found ilkleymoordoctors.co.uk.