More than 300 visitors attended Airedale NHS Trust's second annual open evening.

At the event, which incorporated the Trust Board's Annual General Meeting (AGM), patients and members of the public were given the chance to meet staff and learn about the many services on offer at Airedale Hospital, in Steeton.

Communications manager Fiona Page said: "We're very happy with the result. Well over 300 people came -- more than 100 up on last year -- so it was well worth the effort.

"The event was first introduced last year in a bid to increase attendance by the public to the NHS Trust Board's AGM. The event was such a success we decided to do it again this year. It's safe to say it will now become a permanent fixture."

At the event, which took place in the hospital's on-site dining room, visitors had the chance to try their hands at keyhole surgery, learn resuscitation techniques and get advice on stopping smoking.

There was information on bedside communications, maternity services, Radio Airedale and even careers in the NHS.

Special cuddly teddy bears, skeletons and theatre tools were all available to examine.

At the event trust board members also gave a brief update on what the hospital had achieved in the last year.

In the annual report, NHS Trust chairman Brian Jewell commented on the great sense of frustration felt by the board this year.

He referred to the trust's three-star award in the NHS performance ratings in July 2003 and the recognition attained in the Dr Foster survey as the best performing trust in the Northern and Yorkshire region and the best in the country for patient satisfaction.

He said the frustration came with the Trust's failure to achieve financial balance in 2003/04, thus losing a star in this year's performance ratings and scuppering its bid for foundation status in Octoberthis year.

He said their 'failing' as an NHS Trust was because work by the PCT to meet Government policy -- for more healthcare to be provided in primary care and community settings and less in acute hospital settings -- had not resulted in significant reductions in the demand for secondary care.

The trust's over-eagerness to provide secondary care of the highest quality resulted in more than Airedale Primary Care Trust (PCT) could afford to fund.

He said: "In plain housekeeping terms, we are living beyond our means and this situation has to be brought under control."

Cost cutting measures such as a freeze on elective care and ward closures had already been implemented and the staff were continuing to work to reverse the deficit.

He added: "We are blessed with staff whose dedication to patient care is second to none.

"Their pride in a job well done is of inestimable value to the Trust Board in its continual drive to improve services. I know we can count upon them to tackle the problems we face in 2004/05 - to reduce our costs without reducing significantly the quality of the care we provide."

Trust chief executive Robert Allen confirmed that the trust would not be progressing with its bid for Foundation status this year, but would move forward in October 2005 or spring 2006.

He thanked the 1,800 members of the public and 2,500 staff members who had already volunteered to become involved in a future Foundation Trust, and added that the trust would continue its relationship with existing members and strive to recruit more.

Foundation Trusts are new organisations, more accountable to patients than to the Government and with the ability to manage their own budgets and shape healthcare services to reflect local priorities.