Change of name for health trust
● HALTON’S main mental health services group which runs the Brooker Centre in Runcorn among other facilities has changed its name.
From April 1, 5 Boroughs Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is now known as North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NWBH).
An NWBH spokeswoman said service users, carers, staff, stakeholders and the public voted for the name.
It was ratified by the trust board and council of governors.
The spokeswoman said the decision followed a three-week consultation on three potential names.
More than 1,000 responses were received, with 61% voting for the chosen name.
Key themes included concerns about cost implications and the length of the name, as well as suggestions for slight variations on the proposed names, for example to exclude the word ‘boroughs’ or ‘healthcare’.
Historically, 5 Boroughs Partnership has provided treatment, support and guidance for physical and mental health issues, as well as learning disability services to people living in Halton, Knowsley, St Helens, Warrington and Wigan.
Over the last six months, the trust has won contracts to work in areas outside these areas including Greater Manchester and Merseyside.
Its coverage now totals 15 boroughs.
Bernard Pilkington, NWBH trust chairman, said: “Our trust is growing and the trust board agrees this is the right time to change our name to reflect the new-look community and mental health provider we have become.
“We also feel strongly that our service users, carers and staff in the new boroughs we are and will be serving deserve to have a sense of belonging to an organisation which includes them within its name – which North West Boroughs Healthcare does.”