I have requested to speak at the next Council of Governors meeting at University Hospitals Southampton.

If you remember, I was refused permission to speak at the Trust Board, a public meeting funded by public money, a meeting of people paid a fortune of public money. Of which I will be checking.

During my campaign to hold similar to account at Southern Health NHS Mental Health Foundation Trust, I was shouted at by the Chair of the Trust "Nobody will be resigning!".

I took the cameras in.

I do not want to really have to face a similar confrontation at the SGH, but if it is necessary to protect patients, staff, local residents and firefighters, it may well be necessary.

I will keep you informed of the response. 

The NHS needs the public to make it accountable. Trust me, I know that Whitehall Department of Health mandarins do not want the public to have say. When I did my Masters dissertation on "How Democratic are NHS Foundation Trusts?" I was told by a person who was involved in the Parliamentary and legislative process, that the FT legislation was prevented by civil servants from having real accountability to local people.

Wish me luck and if you can help me get what we want, please get in touch at Southampton Independents.

All the best,
Andrew Pope, Independent Network and Southampton Independents