Our annual plan

An annual plan is required by Monitor and details the major risks to compliance with our authorisation as an NHS Foundation Trust and how we intend to address these risks. The plan also includes a statement of our service strategy and development intentions over the year.

Last year's plan, which has been fully implemented, set out our new strategy which was developed on the basis of our understanding of our local and regional market. This work emphasised:

• the importance of GPs in helping patients to make their choice of hospital
  
  
• the public's belief, faith and pride in the NHS system and the model of socialised health care which underpins it
  
  
• the importance of improving our service and patient care

This was set in the context of an overall theme: innovation and excellence in health and care.

Looking to the future, our annual plan for 2008/09 continues to refine our strategy and notes that this work has engaged staff and governors in its development. As a result a series of Trust-wide priorities have been developed and widely communicated as the basis for our work over the years. These are:

• improving the experience of patients
• improving patient care and safety
• ensuring clinical excellence and effectiveness
• valuing our staff and partners
• striving for innovation in all we do

Further details are set out in the plan.