NHS Foundation Trust

The invitation to apply for NHS Foundation Trust status was based on the Trust's three-star rating for three successive years in the NHS Performance Ratings (2001-03), an achievement the Trust has continued to maintain year on year.

Local people and organisations were part of a 10-week public consultation period on how the foundation trust would be set up and run, and how it would represent different interests and geographical areas.

What's different about foundation trusts?         Foundation trusts are still part of the NHS but, because they are the top-performing hospitals, they have some extra freedoms:

• greater involvement of local people in the development of local hospitals through membership and a Governing Body
• local rather than national control
• the ability to develop services faster through the facility to borrow money (subject to set limits)
• the ability to retain surpluses and use them for future developments.

What are the benefits of membership?                             By becoming a member of the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, you show your commitment to your local hospitals. We want to make membership work for you as well.

One of the key things that you can do is to elect new hospital governors from the membership to the Governing Body. The Governing Body works with directors and senior hospital staff to set priorities and targets. You can also stand for election as a governor.

Governors serve for a period of 3 years and are eligible to stand for re-election at the end of that period as a fresh nomination.   

However, there's more to membership                           The NHS is your organisation; the NHS foundation trust is a public benefit corporation. This is a new kind of body that involves you. Rather than just being here for you if you need services, we want to work with you to help develop our services. We want to learn from you - and we hope that you will learn from us. As a member you will have:

• news about the hospitals within this Trust
• access to advice on health and healthy living
• invitations to open days and events, so you can see what goes on behind the scenes at the hospitals
• the chance to stand for election as a governor - yes you!
• a vote in elections for hospital governors
• regular updates on developments within the hospital

It's all about using local knowledge and listening to local views so we can make the most of the freedom that NHS Foundation Trust status gives.