City Hospitals Sunderland became an NHS Foundation Trust on 1st July 2004.  We believe this is really good news for the people of Sunderland and the other local communities we serve.  While we remain fully and firmly within the NHS, we have new freedoms and opportunities. One of the most exciting of these opportunities is to involve local people in our activities.

We have a Foundation Community - a group made up from members of the public, our patients and staff.  This means local residents, our patients and our staff can become much more closely involved in the running of their hospital services.

Anyone can be a member if they are over 16 and:

• are a patient at the hospital; or
• are living in the area covered by Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic Health Authority (from the Scottish border down to North Yorkshire and across to the Cumbrian border in the West); or
• are a member of City Hospitals Sunderland staff.

We want as many members as possible to make it truly representative of the people we serve.  If you would like to become a member further information (including an online application form) can be found at http://www.chsft.nhs.uk/aboutchs/foundation_membership/ 

In June we will be electing new governors to represent members of the public and patients on our Board of Governors.  If you are interested in standing for election you must be a member so please join now.  Further details will be posted on our website next year.