New status will give public greater voice (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

New status will give public greater voice

LOCAL people will have a greater say in shaping the future of Salisbury District Hospital, if Salisbury health care trust is successful in its bid to become a foundation trust.

Hospital bosses are keen for the public to become part of the bid from the start and have organised a series of meetings throughout the area over the coming weeks, ahead of the hospital's application for foundation trust status next April.

Frank Harsent, chief executive of Salisbury health care trust, said foundation status would mean the hospital would be directly accountable to local people.

He said: "There will be greater opportunities for them to shape the development of local hospital services as members of the trust.

"It will also enable us to plan services that continue to meet the needs of the local community, share ideas, issues or concerns and expand on the work that we are already doing to involve our patients, public and staff."

Becoming a foundation trust brings benefits for patients, staff and local people, said Mr Harsent, adding that the hospital would remain "firmly part of the NHS" but would have greater freedom to develop in the way the local community felt appropriate.

Local people would have the opportunity to stand and vote in elections for governors and they would act as the link between the hospital and the community.

As part of the consultation, the trust will meet voluntary, community and support groups, as well as the patient forum and the trust's partners in health and local authorities.

There will also be six public meetings.

These will be held on September 8 at Salisbury City Hall, September 21 at Ford-ingbridge town hall, September 28 at Shaftesbury Guildhall, October 5 at Tid-worth College and Conference Centre, Octo-ber 11 at Warminster Assembly Rooms, and October 18 at Amesbury Baptist Church. All the meetings start at 7pm.

Mr Harsent said: "The consultation will give patients, staff and local people the opportunity to find out more about what this will mean for their local hospital.

"It will also give the trust the opportunity to gather views on its future and its proposals on how it would operate as an NHS foundation trust."