THE James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust has won its campaign to become the first foundation trust in Norfolk and Suffolk, it will be announced today.The campaign began more than two years ago and since then staff at the Gorleston hospital have been through a rigorous process with regulatory body Monitor to achieve the status.

THE James Paget Healthcare NHS Trust has won its campaign to become the first foundation trust in Norfolk and Suffolk, it will be announced today.

The campaign began more than two years ago and since then staff at the Gorleston hospital have been through a rigorous process with regulatory body Monitor to achieve the status.

It will allow the hospital to operate outside central Government control.

Chief executive David Hill said: “We are delighted with today's announcement. It means we are the first Foundation Trust in Norfolk and Suffolk. It will enable local people and staff to be involved in making decisions about their hospitals.

“People can have confidence that their local hospitals are first class, providing excellent healthcare for the people of Great Yarmouth and Waveney and for visitors to the area.”

Chairman John Hemming said: “The benefits of becoming a Foundation Trust are huge. We are free from Department of Health control and are more able to develop services that meet the needs of our local community. The Board of Directors can now finalise capital investment of £40 million.

“This will include building a new outpatient suite and updating areas of our hospital that have remained relatively unchanged for nearly 25 years.

“We will start work soon on replacing the current six bedded bays with four bedded bays and en suite facilities to improve privacy as we know this is very important to our patients.”

As a foundation trust, the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will be governed by a board of directors and 33 members of the governors' council.

It already has over 9,400 public members across the community and 2,600 staff members. This means local people and local staff will be directly involved in decisions about their hospital, and will influence its future.