The idea of the Council is to strengthen the involvement of patients and the public in the work of the Trust, which runs Weston General Hospital and Children’s Services.
The Trust is hosting a lunchtime seminar in its on-site North Somerset Academy building on Saturday, July 14 from 12 noon to 2pm and inviting anyone who is interested to come and find out more.
The initiative is being led by the Trust’s Director of Nursing, Irene Gray.
She said: “We would very much like to draw on the wealth of experience of our service users and patients through a Patients’ Council.
“We believe the Patients’ Council will show how serious we are about valuing the contributions of our patients to our work.”
She explained that the Council’s voting members will be appointed by interviews conducted by external parties, not by the Trust. The Patients’ Council will elect its own Chair, who will have a non-voting seat on the Trust Board, for a three-year term.
The seminar on July 14 will describe to the audience the Trust’s strategic direction, the challenges it faces and how it sees the opportunities for patients to influence the future of NHS healthcare in North Somerset.
Irene said: “Please come along and find out more about these plans and how YOU can help improve the care we deliver to 170,000 people in North Somerset every year.”
To book a place at the Patients’ Council seminar on July 14, please telephone 01934 647115 or email weston.enquiries@nhs.net by 5pm on Weds July 11.
For further information, please contact Caroline Welch on 01934 647091