The Wakatipu Health Trust's submission on a proposed shake-up of health services in Queenstown will be considered with "some weight" by the Southern District Health Board.
Almost 400 people attended two community health forums organised by the Wakatipu Health Trust.
Regional chief executive Brian Rousseau said the large attendance would allow the board to put "some weight" to the trust's submission.
"The trust clearly has a lot of support from the community. The board will need to consider that when looking at their submission. The DHB will need to give it the attention it deserves."
The meetings were "very beneficial".
"There was exceptionally good attendance [last] Saturday at both sessions, which I was very pleased to see. I think it was good feedback that will be useful to the trust in writing their submission," he said.
The board is seeking feedback on its proposals to renovate Lakes District Hospital and establish an integrated family healthcare centre on the site.
The board would have to balance what the community wanted with the financial realities, he said.
"In health, it's not possible to put something forward that everyone is happy with, and so what we've got to do is get feedback on points people like and don't like and strike a balance," he said.
Submissions close on April 23, but only about 20 have been received so far.
Mr Rousseau would be summarising the submissions and presenting a recommendation to the new Southern District Health Board's meeting in May or June.
The Otago and Southland district health boards will merge on May 1.
Trust spokeswoman Maria Cole said the forum attendees had given the trust a clear mandate to continue lobbying health issues on the community's behalf with a "virtually unanimous" show of hands at the end of both sessions.
"It was great confirmation from the community. We don't have a vested interest or an agenda. We don't want to run the hospital as a governance board. We want the best possible outcome for the community," she said.
