OVER 100 people, including the Mayors of Basingstoke and Winchester, took the opportunity to find out more about the work going on at Hampshire Hospitals during the Trust’s Annual General Meeting. 
The annual event offered the community a chance to go behind the scenes at Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital with a tour of the radiology department, as well as visit an interactive staff exhibition. They then heard talks from the executive team during the formal part of the evening, before consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon Mr Kevin Conn delivered a fascinating talk on the evolution and art of orthopaedic surgery.
In the fully-booked tours, members of the public got to see the different ways the radiology team can investigate problems and help provide the best possible care to patients, including taking a look inside MRI and CT scanners and watching a live ultrasound demonstration.
The exhibition hall was packed with staff from across the Trust, as well as partner organisations, all excited to share their work with members of the public. From speech and language therapy to sustainability, a range of clinical and non-clinical teams were all there to showcase some of the best Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has to offer.
Chief executive Alex Whitfield shared an update on the Trust’s performance for 2018/19 and provided an insight into future plans, alongside chief financial officer Malcolm Ace.
The Worshipful the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Cllr Diane Taylor, said: “I found the whole event interesting, informative and very encouraging.
“I learned a great deal from the various exhibits, and was particularly interested to learn about the progress made in digital technology for hospitals. The tour of the radiology department was fascinating – I could have stayed for hours.
“The Trust is in good hands and is developing well, and Mr Kevin Conn was both entertaining and informative as he took us through the origin and progression of orthopaedic surgery.”
The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Eleanor Bell, said: “From the tour of radiology to the exhibition and Trust update, the whole evening offered a fantastic insight into Hampshire Hospitals.
“It was wonderful to speak to so many members of staff who are so clearly passionate about what they do, thank you to all involved.”
Before the AGM got underway, the education team at the Trust welcomed a group of aspiring and current student nurses to hear more about what fulfilling careers are available at Hampshire Hospitals. 
The attendees got a chance to talk to our staff at different stages of a nursing career, and hear more about the sorts of opportunities that would be available to them at the Trust, before trying their hand at CPR with the clinical skills team.
Steve Erskine, chairman of Hampshire Hospitals, which runs Andover War Memorial Hospital, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and Royal Hampshire County Hospital, in Winchester, said: “Our Annual General Meeting offers members of the Foundation Trust and the local community a fantastic opportunity to hear all about what it happening in their local hospitals.
“I want to thank all of our incredible staff for their hard work to put on a great display, but also for the care they provide to our community every day. We are grateful to the Worshipful the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, and the Right Worshipful the Mayor of Winchester for joining us for the evening.”
