Patients from across the district are invited to quiz healthcare bosses at a public meeting next week.

The governing body of the NHS South Kent Coast Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - which plans and pays for most healthcare in the area - is setting its strategy for the next five years and confirming its 2014/15 budget.

It has a total cache of £259 million to provide healthcare provisions for Folkestone, Hythe, Romney Marsh, Dover and Deal for the coming year.

The meeting will take place at The Grand Hotel on The Leas in Folkestone next Wednesday (May 14) from 2pm to 5pm.

Dr Darren Cocker, NHS South Kent Coast CCG’s Clinical Chair, said: "The Dover, Deal and Shepway areas have a combined population of 199,000 people – and their health and wellbeing are our priorities.

"With finite resources, we have to plan ahead and carefully consider decisions that we make. That’s why we encourage involvement from local people and welcome them to our meetings in public."

Members of the public can pose questions to the group and can be submitted online by completing a form which is available by emailing southkentcoast.ccg@nhs.net.

Questions may be submitted at the beginning of the meeting, with a view to them being addressed throughout the session. The governing body is also welcoming written questions about items on the agenda which will be answered by governing body members during a session from 4.45pm to 5pm.

Patients can also get in contact with their GP practice with many having patient participation groups.

For more information about attending the meeting contact 03000 424700 or email skcccg.gb@nhs.net