The trust that runs Stamford and Rutland Hospital is staging its first 'virtual' board meeting.

Members of the public can participate in the North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust event by submitting any questions they have, related to the business on the agenda of the Board, ahead of the meeting on Tuesday 28 July.

Due to the impact of Coronavirus (Covid-19), the Trust, which runs Peterborough City, Hinchingbrooke and Stamford and Rutland Hospitals, took the decision to limit attendance at meetings and use virtual meetings, to observe social distancing.

Meetings of the Trust board of directors have continued to take place, but by virtual means in private and some of the papers for these were put on the Trust's website.

Now the Trust is taking steps towards holding a virtual Public Board meeting by inviting questions from the public, which will be read out and responded to at the end of the meeting.

Rob Hughes, Chairman of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Our first virtual Board of Directors meeting will take place on Tuesday 28 July via Microsoft Teams.

At present we are still unable to invite the public to join us virtually for this session, but we are extending the invitation to our Trust Governors so we can test the technology before opening our board meetings to the wider public in the future.

However, we would very much welcome members of the public to submit any questions they have to the Board for consideration using the email link: [email protected]. The papers for the meeting are now live on our website."

Questions must be related to the business on the agenda of the Board and must be received by 5pm on Sunday 26 July 2020.

Inquiries or questions not relating to the Board agenda should be directed through other relevant channels.

A recording of the meeting will be available via a link on the trust's website after the meeting.

Details of how members of the public can attend virtual meetings of the Trust Board of Directors in the future will be shared in the coming weeks.