Sign Up and Support the Future of Bedford Hospital!

Mayor Dave Hodgson has issued a rallying cry for people to sign up as hospital foundation trust members and ensure a strong local voice for Bedford Hospital.

Under the hospital's planned merger with Luton & Dunstable Hospital, it will become part of a merged trust which will formally be a continuation of the L&D Foundation Trust.

But with 16,000 members already while it's Luton & Dunstable only, Mayor Dave is urging Bedford Borough residents to sign up and ensure strong representation from here, to help ensure hospital services are protected and that it is run in the very best interests of the communities it serves.

Commenting on his Facebook page - www.facebook.com/Davethemayor - ,Mayor Dave said:

"It's really important that local residents here in Bedford Borough sign up as members of the foundation trust to be formed via the merger of Bedford and Luton & Dunstable Hospitals.

The merged organisation will formally be a continuation of the L&D Foundation Trust (Bedford Hospital is not a Foundation Trust), and with 16,000 members already it is critical that local residents here sign up and ensure the biggest possible representation from Bedford Borough.

Signing up is free, and carries no obligations at all. It allows you to vote for Governors, or to stand as a Governor, amongst other benefits.

A strong local voice is especially important after the way our hospital has been threatened with a downgrade over many years by the Government and NHS bosses.

The two hospitals have pledged that under the merger, key services such as full A&E, maternity and paediatrics will be maintained at Bedford Hospital. I am monitoring developments closely to ensure no backsliding on this commitment, and via Trust Membership residents across Bedford Borough can help do the same.

You can find out more and look in to signing up via this link (to sign up, under the heading "Becoming a Foundation Trust Member" look for "click here" at the end of the 4th paragraph):

www.bedfordhospital.nhs.uk/proposed-merger-find-out-more-here/

It really is the case that the bigger the representation from Bedford Borough the better, so please do have a look and consider signing up to support the future of our hospital."