Independent consultation report

From 4 July to 3 October 2025 Shaping Care Together ran a public consultation into where A&E services should be located in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire. An independent report looking at responses to the consultation has been published.

The report, from the Centre for Health Communication Research, looks at responses from more than 5,000 people who shared their views on the options for consultation either online, or by filling in the survey in the consultation document or by writing in by email or post. It also analyses feedback from thousands of other people who took part in public meetings and other consultation activities.

You can read the report, including an executive summary here with accompanying appendices on the right hand side of this page:

Independent Consultation Report

We have also published a ‘You Said, We Did’ document that outlines the themes of issues and concerns and then the programme’s response:

You Said, We Did - Document

More detail about next steps can be found below in our FAQs.



Is the consultation still open?
No. The public consultation closed in October 2025 and remains closed.


What happens next?

No decisions have been made. We have developed the decision-making business case (DMBC), which takes into account the consultation findings alongside clinical, financial, equalities, workforce and quality evidence.

The DMBC will be presented and considered by the joint committee made up of integrated care boards (ICB) of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria. A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.

We’re inviting members of the public to observe this meeting being held in public. The venue is now at capacity but the meeting will be livestreamed and you can find the link to view it here.

A meeting in public is where members of the community can attend to observe a formal meeting. However, observers are not permitted to join in the discussion. Further information, including papers and how to submit questions ahead of the joint committee, is available on the ICB websites here: Shaping Care Together Joint Committee.



Has a decision already been made?
No decisions have been made. We have developed the decision-making business case (DMBC), which takes into account the consultation findings alongside clinical, financial, equalities, workforce and quality evidence.

The DMBC will be presented and considered by the joint committee made up of integrated care boards (ICB) of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria. A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.


Can I still submit feedback?
The consultation closed in October 2025 and remains closed. We cannot accept any new feedback.


How can I see the consultation feedback?
Feedback from the consultation is in the full independent consultation report published on the website here.


Why are you publishing this now?
We want to make sure we are open and transparent throughout the process. Sharing the findings publicly gives patients, public, staff and stakeholders time to understand the consultation responses before the ICBs make their decision.


Will the consultation feedback change anything?
All consultation feedback has been considered alongside other evidence in the DMBC.

Feedback received during public consultation is an important factor in health service decision making. It is one of a number of important factors. Other factors include clinical, financial, equalities, and practical considerations.


How can I follow the decision making process?
No decisions have been made. We have developed the decision-making business case (DMBC), which takes into account the consultation findings alongside clinical, financial, equalities, workforce and quality evidence.

The DMBC will be presented and considered by the joint committee made up of integrated care boards (ICB) of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria. A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.

We’re inviting members of the public to observe this meeting being held in public. The venue is now at capacity but the meeting will be livestreamed and you can find the link to view it here.

A meeting in public is where members of the community can attend to observe a formal meeting. However, observers are not permitted to join in the discussion. Further information, including papers and how to submit questions ahead of the joint committee, is available on the ICB websites here: Shaping Care Together Joint Committee.


Who analysed the consultation feedback?
An independent organisation called the Centre for Health Communication Research carried out the full analysis of all consultation feedback. All types of consultation responses are important, and the feedback report presents an independent analysis so that all of them may be taken into account by the programme.


When will the joint committee of the two ICBs take place?
A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.

We’re inviting members of the public to observe this meeting being held in public. The venue is now at capacity but the meeting will be livestreamed and you can find the link to view it here.

From 4 July to 3 October 2025 Shaping Care Together ran a public consultation into where A&E services should be located in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire. An independent report looking at responses to the consultation has been published.

The report, from the Centre for Health Communication Research, looks at responses from more than 5,000 people who shared their views on the options for consultation either online, or by filling in the survey in the consultation document or by writing in by email or post. It also analyses feedback from thousands of other people who took part in public meetings and other consultation activities.

You can read the report, including an executive summary here with accompanying appendices on the right hand side of this page:

Independent Consultation Report

We have also published a ‘You Said, We Did’ document that outlines the themes of issues and concerns and then the programme’s response:

You Said, We Did - Document

More detail about next steps can be found below in our FAQs.



Is the consultation still open?
No. The public consultation closed in October 2025 and remains closed.


What happens next?

No decisions have been made. We have developed the decision-making business case (DMBC), which takes into account the consultation findings alongside clinical, financial, equalities, workforce and quality evidence.

The DMBC will be presented and considered by the joint committee made up of integrated care boards (ICB) of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria. A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.

We’re inviting members of the public to observe this meeting being held in public. The venue is now at capacity but the meeting will be livestreamed and you can find the link to view it here.

A meeting in public is where members of the community can attend to observe a formal meeting. However, observers are not permitted to join in the discussion. Further information, including papers and how to submit questions ahead of the joint committee, is available on the ICB websites here: Shaping Care Together Joint Committee.



Has a decision already been made?
No decisions have been made. We have developed the decision-making business case (DMBC), which takes into account the consultation findings alongside clinical, financial, equalities, workforce and quality evidence.

The DMBC will be presented and considered by the joint committee made up of integrated care boards (ICB) of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria. A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.


Can I still submit feedback?
The consultation closed in October 2025 and remains closed. We cannot accept any new feedback.


How can I see the consultation feedback?
Feedback from the consultation is in the full independent consultation report published on the website here.


Why are you publishing this now?
We want to make sure we are open and transparent throughout the process. Sharing the findings publicly gives patients, public, staff and stakeholders time to understand the consultation responses before the ICBs make their decision.


Will the consultation feedback change anything?
All consultation feedback has been considered alongside other evidence in the DMBC.

Feedback received during public consultation is an important factor in health service decision making. It is one of a number of important factors. Other factors include clinical, financial, equalities, and practical considerations.


How can I follow the decision making process?
No decisions have been made. We have developed the decision-making business case (DMBC), which takes into account the consultation findings alongside clinical, financial, equalities, workforce and quality evidence.

The DMBC will be presented and considered by the joint committee made up of integrated care boards (ICB) of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria. A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.

We’re inviting members of the public to observe this meeting being held in public. The venue is now at capacity but the meeting will be livestreamed and you can find the link to view it here.

A meeting in public is where members of the community can attend to observe a formal meeting. However, observers are not permitted to join in the discussion. Further information, including papers and how to submit questions ahead of the joint committee, is available on the ICB websites here: Shaping Care Together Joint Committee.


Who analysed the consultation feedback?
An independent organisation called the Centre for Health Communication Research carried out the full analysis of all consultation feedback. All types of consultation responses are important, and the feedback report presents an independent analysis so that all of them may be taken into account by the programme.


When will the joint committee of the two ICBs take place?
A meeting will take place on Friday 13 March where a decision is expected.

We’re inviting members of the public to observe this meeting being held in public. The venue is now at capacity but the meeting will be livestreamed and you can find the link to view it here.