Barnsley residents invited to become members
Local people are being invited to become a member of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SWYPFT) – the NHS organisation that will soon be running community and mental health services in Barnsley.
Last year, NHS Barnsley agreed that NHS Barnsley’s provider arm, Care Services Direct, will join with SWYPFT – a well established and successful foundation trust that already provides specialist NHS services in Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.
Community and mental health services in Barnsley will join SWYPFT late spring 2011 and Barnsley residents are now being invited to join the Trust as members so they are able to help shape their local health services.
SWYPFT is a Foundation Trust – an NHS organisation that is based around membership. This helps the Trust work closely with local people to plan and deliver services that benefit local communities and members are represented by an elected Members’ Council. The Trust already has over 11,000 members and is now urging Barnsley residents to also sign up.
Steven Michael, Chief Executive of SWYPFT said, "It is important that we have NHS community and specialist services that are the best they can be and that meet local needs – so any of us would feel happy using them. We are therefore delighted that the high quality community and mental health services in Barnsley will be joining our Trust. We know that people who already use these services value the expert care they receive and we want to reassure people that this will not change. Working together, we will ensure that the services we offer continue to meet the needs of local people. One way to keep in touch with local health services and to influence how they develop in the future is to join us as a member and we hope people living in the Barnsley area will take up this opportunity."
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Membership is free. You don’t need any special skills or experience to be a member. You just need to be interested in NHS services and the people the Trust cares for. As a member you can: •Have a say in the future of your local NHS •Learn more about wellbeing and enrich your understanding of health issues •Get information about the Trust and its work •Elect local people to represent your views on our Members’ Council or stand for election yourself
Sean Rayner – Chief Operating Officer for Care Services Direct and Transition Director for Barnsley said, "It is extremely important for Barnsley to be properly represented in the membership of SWYPFT. There is already an established membership for the other areas within the boundaries of the Trust and we need to make sure Barnsley people also have a voice."
"Members can specify how much they want to be involved from receiving a monthly magazine to taking part in improvement initiatives – it’s an individual choice. The important thing is for people to sign up to be kept informed of any developments, improvements or consultations that may happen in the future."
To find out more or become a member, Barnsley residents can: •Visit the Trust’s website: www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk •Email membership@swyt.nhs.uk •Call 01924 327567.
Local people can also stay up to date with the Trust on Twitter via @allofusinmind as well as find them on Facebook under ‘with all of us in mind’ – which is the Trust’s strapline, reflecting how services are planned and delivered.