Last updated at 10:24, Friday, 22 June 2012

PEOPLE from Copeland have been invited to get involved with their soon-to-be local health board.

Northumbria Healthcare Foundation Trust will be in charge of local services when it takes over West Cumberland Hospital and Cumberland Infirmary later this year.

It hopes that 10,000 people will sign up by December to become members of the Trust.

The North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust is being taken over as a result of long-running financial problems.

Members of the trust will act like shareholders in a public company and have a big say in how the health service is run.

“It’s almost like there is somebody there watching you, which is good,” said David Evans, Northumbria’s medical director, who is also a consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician.

At present the foundation trust has over 70,000 members who elect governors to oversee the three major hospitals, seven cottage hospitals and secondary services it offers in the north-east.

Foundation trusts are part of the NHS but are allowed considerable independence from central Government. They have the flexibility to tailor the care they offer to their requirement but must perform to very high standards to retain this status.

Members are kept regularly informed about what the trust is doing.

They also have the power to elect governors and air their views on how their local services are run.

A drive to recruit members was launched this week.

Anyone over 12 years old can become a member. For full details telephone 0800 0855950 or e-mail foundation@northumbria.nhs.uk

First published at 11:12, Thursday, 21 June 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk