ABOUT 250 members of the public want to stand for election to help run Southampton General and Princess Anne Hospitals.
They have expressed an interest in taking up one of the 13 seats on a new 24-seat council that would be formed if the hospitals get foundation trust status.
Hospital bosses say the new status would mean they would be free from Government control, have more control over hospital finances and be more locally accountable.
Independent regulator Monitor is currently reviewing Southampton’s bid and a decision whether to grant foundation trust status will be made in March.
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, responsible for running Southampton General, Princess Anne and the Countess Mountbatten hospice, last year held a 12-week consultation to gauge public support which drew 356 responses.
Despite no one bothering to turn up to one of the public meetings, the trust also signed up 12,000 potential “members” of the new trust, who would all have a say on how the hospitals are run.
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