August date for hospital decision

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust will hear in August if its bid for go it alone Foundation status has been successful, its chief executive has announced.

It will give bosses more freedom in the way they run its three main centres – Kidderminster Hospital, the Alexandra in Redditch and Worcestershire Royal in Worcester – and more freedom in how they spend money.

Chief executive John Rostill said: "Our application, supported by NHS West Midlands is now at the Department of Health. We know that it will be considered by the Applications Committee on 24 July. We should know the outcome in early August.

"We are still on schedule to become a Foundation Trust in the Autumn."

If the bid is given the thumbs up independent regulator Monitor will carry out an assessment of the Trust and its sites.

Board members at the Trust recently decided to do an about-turn and to hold their meetings in public.

The board recently said it was planning to hold meetings behind closed doors which prompted an outcry from local authorities, including Wyre Forest District Council, and members of the public.