‘Three-star’ healthcare trusts close in on ‘Foundation’ status

Health
secretary John Reid is to support 24 NHS trusts in their bids to become the
first Foundation Trusts as they move into the next stage of the approval
process.

Foundation
Trusts will have greater management and financial freedom, including the
ability to retain surpluses and invest in delivering of new services, but will
remain a part of the NHS.

The
health secretary said the reform would give local people more control over
their local hospitals.

"These
three-star trusts are among the best hospitals in the country and I am
convinced that the freedoms that NHS Foundation Trust status brings can only
improve the care they deliver to their patients."

The
24 NHS trusts can now apply to the Office of the Independent Regulator for
authorisation as NHS Foundation Trusts, and set up their new governance
arrangements including recruiting members and holding elections to their boards
of governors.

The
regulator will only approve an application when it is satisfied about the
applicant’s preparedness and viability. This is a separate process from the
initial assessment carried out by the Department of Health last year.

The
24 NHS trusts applying for Foundation status:

Addenbrooke’s
NHS Trust
Basildon & Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust
Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust
Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Trust
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Trust
Countess Of Chester Hospital NHS Trust
Doncaster & Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust
Guy’s & St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Trust
Homerton University Hospital NHS Trust
King’s College Hospital NHS Trust
Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust
North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Trust
Papworth Hospital NHS Trust
Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust
Rotherham General Hospitals NHS Trust
Royal Devon & Exeter Health Care NHS Trust
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital Services NHS Trust
Stockport NHS Trust
The Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Trust
The Royal Marsden NHS Trust
University College London Hospitals NHS Trust
University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust

By Quentin Reade