Hospital bosses in a Black Country borough are set to discover within the next month if their latest bid to break free from Government control and take on more responsibility for running their own affairs has been successful.

Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust has submitted an application to independent regulator Monitor to become a foundation trust.

If successful it would slightly alter the way in which borough hospital services are run. The trust’s initial application was shelved in 2006.

The move came after inspectors raised concerns about the trust’s financial stability and high superbug rates. They said a lack of scrutiny from non-executive directors at Dudley’s Russells Hall Hospital had also influenced their decision.

If the new bid is approved, it would mean a board or council of governors runs affairs instead of the Department of Health.

It will also mean the trust can keep money it generates and will be more accountable to local people on quality of services.

Hospital spokeswoman Sally Lavender revealed Monitor is due to consider Dudley’s application at the end of the month or the very beginning of October.

Trust chief executive Paul Farenden said: “This is a different type of NHS Trust which allows greater freedom to deliver the right services for our local communities with more local accountability for health services.

“The rigorous process for application is both detailed and lengthy to assure Monitor that we have good governance in place and that we perform well both clinically and financially.

“As part of this process we submit many documents and evidence to Monitor. They also spend time in the trust assessing our performance.”

Tied in with the application the hospital trust is looking to recruit 13,000 members of the community to keep an eye on how health services are run and to raise any issues of concern.

Anyone who applies to become a member can stand for election to the Council of Governors, who will be able to quiz the trust board on key issues, from business planning to the appointment of the chief executive and chairman.

For more information people should telephone 01384 456111.