Foundation trusts are organised so that they are more accountable to the people they serve. They do this by being membership organisations.
Our membership is made up of our patients and their families, our students, our staff and our local communities. Our members elect governors to represent their views at independent boards where decisions are made about what we do and how we do it. This way we can respond to their needs.
We are still part of the NHS, providing NHS services to patients. As a foundation trust we have more freedom but are subject to the same NHS systems of inspection.
We are more financially independent: we now have the ability to invest quickly in the changes our local community needs. This means we can lead on making improvements to the health service.
As a foundation trust we are:
- Providing some of the best care in the country: our patient services have been rated excellent for five consecutive years.
- Managing our money well: since becoming a foundation trust we have improved our ratings for financial management from fair to excellent.
- Making quicker and smarter decisions: which directly benefit patients and service users.
- Involving patients and the public: creating and improving services, in both our trust and the local health community. Becoming a foundation trust has allowed us to refurbish our ground floor reception, based on the feedback of our patients.
- Building great relationships with our staff: thinking creatively about how to help them give their best and reward them for it.
