The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Why become a member?

What is the Walton Centre?

Based in Fazakerley, north Liverpool, The Walton Centre is the UK’s only stand alone specialist NHS Trust for neurology and neurosurgery. It became a Foundation Trust (FT) in August 2009.

What is a Foundation Trust?

NHS FT hospitals are a completely new kind of NHS organisation. They are still part of the NHS and accountable to Parliament, but local people and staff will have a real say in running their local hospital. For the first time, staff and patients will be able to direct and shape how The Walton Centre is run. Decisions will be taken locally, in consultation with staff/public governors, which means that they will be more responsive to the needs of their community.

How are FT hospitals different?

FT hospitals are different in 3 important ways. They have freedom to decide locally how to meet their obligations, they are accountable to local people, who will become members and governors and are authorised and monitored by the Independent Regulator for NHS Foundation Trusts.

What does this mean to patients?

The Walton Centre being an FT means the hospital will be able to reinvest monies into providing the North West with 'neuro-care beyond compare' by constantly striving to provide neurological ‘firsts’ for the benefit of the region.

Why become a member?

The Walton Centre has to show to Monitor (the FT regulator) that the community we serve supports the work we carry out. The way in which Monitor ask us to prove this is by asking the local community to become members of our hospital.

Becoming a member means you can have a voice in how we run some aspects of The Walton Centre. Membership is free and open to those residents of England and Wales over the age of 16. Your membership will be acknowledged when you receive your first copy of ‘Neuromatters’ – a 3 times a year newsletter for FT members.

If you wish you can take your membership further by applying to become a Governor of our Council of Governors (we currently have a Council of Governors in place and all seats are filled.) For news on how to become a governor in the next round of elections, please see www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk

To be a member of an FT you don’t have to attend meetings or complete any paperwork apart from your membership form. You can just receive the newsletter if you so wish. Membership is free and open to England and Wales residents aged 16 and above.

To sign up a member, simply to log onto: www.nhs-membership.co.uk/wcnn

Alternatively, please contact the Foundation Trust Team on free phone 0800 783 3829 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it