Your health, your life, your choice, our passion...
We are here for you and we want you to get
involved.
Whether you are a patient, a carer or a family member; whether you are a
Member, a Governor, a local partner or simply live or work in Rotherham – you
should feel assured that we are here for you, providing the care you need when
you need it.
We are committed to working as part of our community and take our
responsibilities very seriously. As an NHS Foundation Trust we are accountable
to you, the public, and we have a role to play in ensuring Rotherham has a
strong and vibrant future.
To do that, we need your help. If you care about health care in Rotherham, then
you care about us and the services we provide.
Would you like to be involved?
Health care is our passion and we will continue to
work hard to improve the health of the people we care for and we believe that
together, we can make a real difference.
So, join us today. That way we can deliver a level of care that meets – and
hopefully exceeds – your needs, both now and in the future. For more
information about how to get involved as a member of the Trust, a member
of the public or a patient please see our
strategy for Patient Experience, Engagement and Involvement.
How we involve members, patients and the local community
The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust is an acute and
community Trust and a Public Benefit Corporation. The Trust’s primary purpose
is to deliver NHS services in line with national guidelines and also to respond
to the requirements of the health community it serves.
The law requires the Trust to consult the general
public when substantial changes to services are proposed and the Trust has a
duty to involve patients and the general public:
- In relation to the planning of services
- When considering and developing proposals for
change; and
- In decisions which may affect how a service
operates or where it is delivered
The type of change proposed will determine the
level of consultation required which could range from a full public
consultation to a consultation involving only the Trust’s Council of Governors.
Full public consultations may be undertaken by the Trust alone, in conjunction
with NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group or with the South Yorkshire and
Bassetlaw Integrated Care System.
The Trust’s Board of Directors welcomes the views
and opinions of all patients, carers, members of the public, Members of the
Foundation Trust, Governors and other stakeholders who have an existing
connection with, or interest in the running of, the Trust.
To this end the Trust makes efforts to develop good
communication with the local community through many different channels, some of
which are:
- Holding monthly Board of Directors’ meetings
in public at the end of which members of the public are invited to ask
questions
- Encouraging attendance at the quarterly
Council of Governors’ meetings which are open to members of the public
- Regular ‘Governors Surgeries’ at the hospital
and in the community
- Quarterly ‘Your Health’ magazine
- Regular social media posts on Facebook and
Twitter
- An annual ‘Quality Priorities Showcase’ event
for patients, public, stakeholders and staff to consult on the Trust’s
quality improvement priorities
- Our Annual Members Meeting at which the
Trust’s Annual Report and Accounts are presented detailing the work of
the Trust over the year
- Public and patient engagement forums for
example the Ophthalmology open day and the Rotherham Maternity Voices
Partnership
- Bespoke events to ensure involvement and
engagement of patients and family on key issues e.g. the Child Development
Service Review and promotion the Trust’s research activities on Clinical
Trials Day
The Board maintains an open communication with
Members, patients and their carers, the public and other stakeholders and
maximises the opportunities that its numerous corporate relationships provide.
For example, the Trust actively engages with the local Health Select
Commission, Rotherham Healthwatch, NHS Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group
and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to understand the health needs and
concerns of the Rotherham population.
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) have separate
obligations in relation to patient and public involvement to those of
Foundation Trusts. Details of the manner in which NHS Rotherham CCG involves
patients and the local community can be found on their website: http://www.rotherhamccg.nhs.uk/consulting-and-engaging.htm
In addition, the Trust is member of the South
Yorkshire & Bassetlaw Integrated Care System (ICS) which is responsible for
involving patients and the public on behalf of individual organisations in
relation to any proposed changes to service provision across the ICS. For more
information on the way in which the ICS involves patients and the public please
visit their website: https://www.healthandcaretogethersyb.co.uk/get-involved/get-involved