The Trust values the relationship that it has with the local community and aims at all times to keep the public informed about any service developments and activity within the Trust. For this reason the Trust regularly produces and provides information for the public using a number of different formats.

The Trust produces a series of three formal publications, each with a specific audience. All are available in public areas across the Hospital or community so can therefore all be classed as available to the public. 'Insite' is a magazine designed specifically for employees of the Trust and available bi-monthly, 'Your Hospital' is designed for the general public, and 'Good Practice' is a GP focused publication. All these publications are produced by a Public Relations Company* for the Trust, and hard copies can be obtained from the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator*.

The Trust also makes certain corporate material available for the public on a regular basis. The Annual Report contains information about the Trust in the preceding year, covering its performance and development and also includes the Summary Financial Statements and Summary Service Plan for the year ahead and details of how this information can be obtained can be seen in Class 4.

The Trust regularly publishes on our website, (www.wirralhealth.org.uk) the minutes of Trust Board Meetings and also makes easily accessible any press releases that have come from the Trust.

The Trust has two 'Athena Information' Rooms, one based at Arrowe Park Hospital Outpatient Department and the other at Clatterbridge Hospital Outpatient Department. These rooms contain information leaflets about various conditions and diseases. The Athena Room also provides access to touch screen computer facilities in order for patients to obtain information. Members of the public, patients and their carers are welcome to visit the Athena Rooms and take any information leaflets that they wish.

Each of the Directorates have information leaflets that they produce or make available which are related to their areas of healthcare, and this type of publication adds up to a great deal of information. A large amount of the information that the Trust makes available is specific to a wide range of medical conditions, treatments and operative procedures. For this reason such leaflets are generally most suitable for distribution in a clinical setting by the relevant level of staff, as they may contain information that could be difficult for people to understand. We would therefore encourage any member of the public with particular queries about specific conditions to speak to their GP or relevant treating clinician.

The Trust's website at www.wirralhealth.org.uk is a valuable source of information available for the general public to access at any time and provides the public with links to other useful health related websites.