Hospital's waiting game on new status

A formal bid to free Sandwell's hospitals of central Government control could get the go-ahead later this month.

Bosses at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust say the organisation's application to become a foundation trust will be considered by government officials on March 22.

If given the go ahead the trust could gain foundation status by the summer or early autumn. The application will then go to the monitor stage where an independent agency will go over everything associated with the application carefully.

It will then authorise whether the organisation can become a foundation trust.

If it is secured, it will transform the way the hospital is run. As well as giving patients, staff and residents the chance to have their say, it would allow the hospital to tailor its services to best meet the needs of the local population.

It will also allow the hospitals the chance to have more say on how their cash is spent.

Health bosses at the trust have also revealed today they hope to have 7,000 people signed up as members within the next couple of months. They are also set to organise elections for people to take on the role of governors next month.

Trust spokeswoman Vanya Rogers said: "On March 20 it will go before the applications committee of the department of health secretary of state Alan Johnson."

Anyone aged 12 or over from Sandwell or the surrounding area can become a member.

They will be updated with information about the hospitals.

For more information about how to become a member of the foundation trust people should log onto the website which is at www.swbh.nhs.uk