MORE than 6,000 people have had their say on the future of vascular services in Hampshire.

Health chiefs are looking to shake-up sevices in the county to boost services and improve outcomes for patients.

One proposal is for Southampton General Hospital to become a specialist centre with emergency and complex surgery for Portsmouth and South East Hampshire moving there.

Eighty-one per cent of people who responded were in favour.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust outlined its clear support for the need for change in the delivery of vascular services and underlined that the proposal for Southampton General to become the vascular centre received unanimous support from the expert panel.

Patient group Southampton LINk also agreed.

However, the plan has proved unpopular in Portsmouth with more than 6,000 letters of opposition sent in.

These responses will be used to draw up formal proposals which will then go out to a full public consultation this autumn before any final decision is made.