Your chance to quiz local health chiefs

THE Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust — which spent almost £545 million on our healthcare in the last year — is to hold its nnnual meeting on Thursday at the Royal Oldham Hospital.

The Trust, one of the largest NHS Trusts in England employing around 10,000 staff, runs The Royal Oldham Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury, North Manchester General Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary as well as services at Birch Hill Hospital.

Chairman John Jesky will be joined by the Trust’s chief executive John Saxby, executive directors and other members of the Trust Board where the annual report and financial accounts for 2009-10 will be formally adopted and questions taken from the floor.

In his report, Mr Jesky will highlight the progress and achievements made by the Trust and thank staff for their commitment and valuable contribution.

The meeting will also, for the first time, include presentations from senior clinicians from the Trust talking about cancer research performance and advances in vascular surgery within the Trust.

The public will also have the opportunity to ask questions of the Board and to give comments as feedback.

Last year (2009-10), the Trust spent over half a billion pounds (£544,860,000) on providing secondary acute healthcare services for local people through its five hospitals — the equivalent of over £1.4m a day.

It has invested £47 million on capital programmes, in maintaining and improving the physical estate, and on smaller projects to develop front line clinical services.

The Trust saw 306,602 accident and emergency cases (up 10.5 per cent on the previous year), 739,022 outpatients (up 2.9 per cent), 82,220 day cases (up 2.4 per cent), 128,675 inpatients (up 3.7 per cent) and delivered 10,404 babies.

The meeting (5.45pm refreshments, 6.30pm start) will be held at the education centre and is open to staff and members of the public. To book your place please contact 0161 918 4283 or email trust.communications@pat.nhs.uk