St George's Foundation Trust status public consultation begins (From Wandsworth Guardian)

St George's Foundation Trust status public consultation begins

3:00pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News

St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust has officially launching its public consultation on becoming a Foundation Trust.

The results of the consultation, which is open to staff, patients and members of the public, will shape how Tooting's St George’s Hospital is governed in the future.

Foundation Trusts differ from existing NHS Trusts because they are more financially flexible, are free from central government control and are more autonomous.

Miles Scott, the trust's chief executive, said: "The future for St George’s is very exciting and as a Foundation Trust the communities we serve can have a greater say over our plans by becoming members and electing a Council of Governors.

"Over the coming years we have some ambitious aims for developing our healthcare.

"We want to make research a part of our everyday business so that we can advance our understanding of healthcare.

"We also want to invest in our workforce so patients can be confident that they are being looked after by the most skilled clinicians.

The hospital is one of the country’s leading healthcare and research institutions with particular expertise in major trauma, stroke, children’s healthcare and cancer.

The public consultation runs for 12 weeks, and will end on Friday April 26 this year.

For more information visit www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/ftindex.asp.