By Emily Parsons

Last updated at 09:06, Tuesday, 19 March 2013

A former MP is making a comeback to political life.

Eric Martlew

Eric Martlew, the Labour politician who represented Carlisle for 23 years, is one of 20 public governors who has been appointed to the board which will oversee north Cumbria’s troubled hospitals.

The appointments mark the latest step in the process by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to acquire North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. The Shadow Council of Governors will represent the views of local people and staff at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, and will be officially constituted when the acquisition is complete later this year.

Every NHS foundation trust has a Council of Governors, which gives its views to help develop priorities and influences proposals for change.

Governors also give local communities a voice in how services are developed and run in the future and ultimately hold boards to account.

The Shadow Council of Governors in north Cumbria is made up of public, patient, staff and co-opted governors from local public sector organisations. They were elected by residents in the area who had signed up as members of the Northumbria trust.

Two patient governors have also been appointed.

Ann Farrar, interim chief executive of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “It is really good news that our shadow governors have now been appointed and we are looking forward to involving them as we progress the acquisition.

“Our governors will play a key role in keeping us accountable to local people and look forward to meeting them all personally in the next few weeks.”

Brian Flood, chairman of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted to welcome our shadow governors in north Cumbria to our organisation, and thank them for their willingness to be involved in what is a very important time for health services in the area.

“Our new shadow governors have demonstrated they have a real interest in local health services and want to truly influence what happens in their communities and shape the future of hospital services in Carlisle and Whitehaven. They have knowledge which will be invaluable as we move forward.”

Mr Flood said the trust will be working closely with the shadow governors to help them learn about the vision for the future and their role.

Once the acquisition is complete, governors will attend Council of Governors meetings and can put themselves forward to sit on committees in areas of healthcare that interest them.

Mr Martlew said: “I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to shape future healthcare and help ensure that people in north Cumbria have access to the best hospital services possible. “Given the challenges that we have faced here in north Cumbria, it’s understandable that local people will be anxious about the future. However, I am keen to work with the trust, the interim management team and fellow governors to help change things for the better.”

Public governors in north Cumbria

• Allerdale: Janet King; Keith Fitton; Elizabeth Mary Jackson; Richard Gildert; John Robson
• Carlisle: Eric Anthony Martlew; William Reid; Dorothy M Weir; Anne Callagher; Louise Patricia Dias; John S Corson
• Copeland: Vikki Brett; Alan Alexander; Anne Vivienne Robinson; Margaret Ann Halstead; Ivan Taylor
• Eden: Brian Huddleston; Rachel Stavert; Soonu Verghese; Neal Watkinson

Patient governors in north Cumbria:

• Carolyn Johnson; Stan Lightfoot

People interested in being involved in the future of north Cumbria’s hospitals are still being encouraged to become members of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

It is free to join, and members can have a say on how care is delivered. People can be involved as much or as little as they like, from simply receiving newsletters and voting papers, to donating their time as a volunteer.

To become a member, visit www.northumbria.nhs.uk/members call 0191 203 1296 or e-mail foundation@northumbria.nhs.uk

First published at 08:42, Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk