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Homepage|About our Trust|Governors and Members
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Welcome to the Governors and Members area of the website.

In this section of the website you can find out what it means to be a Foundation Trust, how you can play your part by becoming a member and about upcoming events which give members a unique behind-the-scenes look at how an acute and community healthcare is run.

There is also a section about the Trust’s Council of Governors, links to important documents and websites and the opportunity to read our in-house, Your Trust newsletter.

If you would like more information about the Trust, call the Foundation Trust office on (01384) 321124 or email dgft.foundationmembers@nhs.net

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What does it mean to be a Foundation Trust?

The Dudley Group became the first Trust in the Black Country to be granted coveted Foundation Trust status in October 2008.

NHS Foundation Trusts typified the Government’s commitment to the decentralisation of public services and the creation of a patient-led NHS.

This means we have some freedom from central government control in the way we develop and deliver healthcare services that meet the needs and priorities of the local population.

Being an NHS Foundation Trust gives us the opportunity to work with the local community to make sure we are providing services local people want, in the way they wish to have them delivered.

The benefits are:

  • There is real involvement of local people in running the Trust through becoming members and an elected Council of Governors
  • The Trust is accountable to local people for the quality of services they provide
  • The Trust can raise money for changing and improving services from several sources and are not restricted to using only Government funds
  • The Trust has to ensure they are managing their finances in a more business-like way

Our Foundation Trust members can choose their level of involvement from just receiving the Trust’s newsletter or becoming a Governor of the Trust.  Go to the ‘Become a member’ page to join and for the full list of activities.

If you are already a Foundation Trust member and wish to update your details or the activities you would like to get involved with, then visit the ‘Update your membership details‘ page.

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Important Foundation Trust Documents

Certificate of authorisation

Trust-Constitution-2022_23-review_FINAL

AMM Minutes 2023

AMM Minutes 2022

AMM Minutes_2021

If you would like to access minutes from earlier years to contact the board secretary via the foundation trust members email address: dgft.foundationmembers@nhs.net

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Frequently asked questions

An NHS Foundation Trust is a Trust that has been able to move out of central Government control in order to provide services that better meet the needs of local people. They are still part of the NHS but are not restricted to using only Government funds. Now we have become an NHS Foundation Trust we are able to raise money on the open market. This money could be used for changing and improving services. An important part of being an NHS Foundation Trust is that we have real involvement and support from the local community. This can be achieved by people becoming Foundation Trust Members and through the Council of Governors.

Three key differences from existing NHS Trusts are:

  • NHS Foundation Trusts have new freedoms to decide locally how to meet their obligations
  • They are accountable to local people, Members and Governors
  • They are authorised and monitored by the Independent Regulator (Monitor) for NHS Foundation Trusts, and not by the Department of Health.

No. As an NHS Foundation Trust we will still remain part of the NHS, providing services free at the point of delivery.

NHS Foundation Trust status means we will continue to provide NHS services to NHS patients. We have a legal responsibility that essential services are still available.

GPs and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) commission services from The Dudley Group on behalf of their patients and, it is the CCGs’ responsibility to ensure that the local patient population has access to essential services. If we have services that are not clinically or financially viable then they could be withdrawn but, this would not be done without the agreement of at least three quarters of the Council of Governors and then only after consultation with and permission from Monitor.

By having greater financial freedom and by engaging with local people we will be able to invest in developing services for the future and make sure that local people’s views influence how we change services.

A PFI is a Private Finance Initiative and is a contractual agreement between an NHS Trust and private organisation to build and maintain new hospital buildings. In Dudley the PFI agreement is between The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust and Summit Healthcare (Dudley) Ltd. Summit Healthcare is made up of three partner organisations, Siemens Healthcare Services, Interserve Facilities Management and Sunlight Laundries. These provide the following services to the Trust: IT support, laundry and linen services, catering, cleaning, medical engineering, telecommunications,estates, portering, residences, site management including car parking and security, sterile services, transport and waste management.

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Useful websites

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The independent regulator of health and social care in England

NHS Choices

Find information and services to help you manage your health

NHS England

We lead the NHS in England to deliver high quality services for all