What is an NHS Foundation Trust?

"NHS Foundation Trusts are a completely new kind of organisation. They are about the NHS being run locally by local people rather than by politicians in central government."

The first NHS Foundation Trusts (NHSFT) were established in 2004 under the Health and Social Care Act 2003. Since then more NHS Foundation Trusts have been established and the Government wants all hospitals to achieve Foundation Trust status. NHSFTs are a new type of organisation established as independent public benefit corporations, which are modelled on co-operative and mutual traditions. This means far greater local ownership and involvement of patients, the public and staff rather than control from the Department of Health.

NHS Foundation Trusts are not a means to privatisation, they are still firmly part of the NHS and are bound by law to provide free care based on need, not ability to pay. An independent regular called Monitor oversees Foundation Trusts to ensure they uphold the quality standards and principles of the NHS. NHS Foundation Trusts are subject to the same NHS standards, performance ratings and systems of inspection as other NHS hospitals.

When we become an NHS Foundation Trust patients, local people and staff will have the opportunity to become a member of our Trust and elect Governors to represent the Membership on the Trust Membership Council.

For further information on NHS Foundation Trusts you can visit: www.dh.gov.uk and www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk.

Why do we want to be an NHS Foundation Trust?
As an NHS Foundation Trust we will have greater independence. We want to use the financial freedoms and new governance arrangements to support us in our drive for excellence and innovation of service delivery, so that we can better reflect the needs and expectations of the local community. It will also enable us to develop much closer links with the people who matter most – our patients, local communities and staff.

Specifically becoming an NHS Foundation Trust will help us:

• Develop and deliver local services driven by local people, both using our services and those in the broader community.

• Enable the local community, staff and partners to influence the future shape of services.

• Make decisions more quickly to meet local priorities.

• Invest any surpluses and savings we make in the development of our facilities and equipment to further improve care for our patients.

• To plan further ahead.

• Improve the management of the organisation by adopting best practice used in other fields.

Contact Information for the Foundation Trust Office:

Foundation Trust Office
Trust Headquarters
North Staffs Royal Infirmary
Princes Road
ST4 7LN

01782 555 577

Email: foundation.trust@uhns.nhs.uk

Documents:

Tripartite formal agreement between University Hospital of North Staffordshire, the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) and the Department of Health (DH) that will enable achievement of NHS Foundation Trust (FT) status before April 2014.

Summary Consultation

Full Consultation

Foundation Trusts: The Story So Far