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Local Hospitals Network

The Local Hospitals Network aims to connect local hospitals together to look at issues of common interest.  It follows the publication of Strengthening Local Services: The Future of the Acute Hospital (PDF, 425KB), by the NHS National Leadership Network. Published earlier this year, this looked at defining a sustainable future vision for the local acute hospital.

The aim of the network is to help those responsible for local hospitals share and develop ideas, and Chief Executives and any others in local hospitals who are interested are welcome to join. It will also be a resource for partners of those hospitals, including other Trusts.  New PCT commissioners are invited to join the network to help them as they find the way forward for local providers.

The network's patron is Sir Ian Carruthers, Chief Executive of NHS South West. Those involved in the start up include Edna Robinson, national lead for NHS Networks and Chief Executive of Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust; Mike Deegan, Chief Executive of Central Manchester & Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust; and David Dalton, Chief Executive of Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Both Mike and David were on the group which authored Strengthening Local Services.

Local Hospitals Network conference - The Future of Local Hospitals: Our greatest challenge?
The first Local Hospitals Network conference was held on 21 March 2007 in London. This event, run by NHS Networks with the assistance of Primary Care Contracting, attracted senior managers, board members and clinicians and was designed to build on making connections and explore potential partnership working. The keynote speech by the Secretary of State for Health, Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt MP (in MP3 format) and the Powerpoint presentations from throughout the day are now all available to download.

Useful documents

Network contact: Janet Butterworth, janet.butterworth@northwest.nhs.uk