People can have their say in the running of health services in the county at an online meeting this coming week.

NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has confirmed that its next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday 31 March at 9.30 am.

The meeting will be held virtually as a Live Event, as in previous months, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and members of the public will be able to join the meeting virtually.

Sean Lyons, Chair, Lincolnshire CCG, explained: "Like everyone else, we continue to be conscious of our responsibility to follow, and indeed promote, the government's guidance in response to coronavirus, especially where social distancing is concerned.

"At the same time the CCG remains fully committed to fulfilling its role of commissioning healthcare on behalf of the Lincolnshire public, and it is important we hold our Board meeting, even though we cannot hold it in public as we would like.

"However, we are pleased to be able to confirm that members of the public will be able to virtually join the meeting using Microsoft Teams. This will mean that, just like a normal Board meeting, the public will be able to observe the proceedings of the Board, the only difference being that none of us can be there in person.

"We don't underestimate the importance of engaging with the public, and we know it's not ideal, but at least this way the public can still watch the Board meeting and listen to its discussions."

Joining instructions for the meeting will be available from the CCG's website Virtual Board meeting: 31 March 2021 @9.30am – Lincolnshire CCG as well as the papers for the Board meeting.

Members of the public will be able to submit questions in one of two ways - either during the Board meeting using the Q&A function of Microsoft Teams, or by completing the proforma available with the meeting papers and emailing it to [email protected] by 5pm on Tuesday 30 March. Questions will be collated and responded to after the Board meeting.

Led by local GPs and other health professionals, NHS Lincolnshire CCG is responsible for the planning and purchasing of health services across the county, including planned and emergency hospital care, rehabilitation, most community services, and mental health and learning disability services.

For more information on the CCG, including access to Board papers, visit www.lincolnshireccg.nhs.uk