Bracknell

PLANS to give Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals greater independence could mean Bracknell Forest patients getting more power in decision-making.

Heatherwood and Wexham Park NHS Hospitals Trust can apply for Foundation Status after a glowing report gave it the maximum three stars for its care.

This would mean the hospitals would have more control over the services they offer, and Bracknell Forest residents would be asked to be the public's voice at the hospitals' board, known as a congress.

The trust said it would want people to join the congress, which health bosses would have to report to instead of the Department for Health.

The Heatherwood and Wexham Park NHS Hospitals Trust's congress will be made up of 12 members of the public, four members of staff and seven shareholders.

They are also hoping to get 100,000 members from the two hospitals' catchment of 400,000. These would be asked their views by the congress.

Any decision on the change to a Foundation Trust would be made in December, and acting chief executive Colin Hayton told a public meeting discussing the plans that the new system could turn the hospitals into 'brands'.

A resident asked if the increase of choice at local hospitals was designed to encourage people to use Heatherwood or Wexham rather than travelling further afield.

Mr Hayton said: "Most people do want to go to their nearest hospital but we think there should be quality available in each area.

"The congress should help us say yes, Heatherwood is my nearest hospital; but they also provide good quality care."

Anne Ruthven, who attended the meeting, said she wants to wait and see if the changes improve healthcare.

She added: "I don't know how other foundation trusts have been performing since they changed, so I want to wait and see how things pan out in the future.

"But we have gone from a situation where the public has no control over its healthcare to a situation where we have theoretical input."

By Nick Capehorn ~ ic Berkshire ~ Nov 1 2005