Millions of patients across England given greater say in their local community healthcare
Monitor announces the authorisation of two NHS trusts to foundation trust status
More than six million people across England will be given a greater say over the way health care services are provided in their local communities after Monitor awarded foundation trust status to two new NHS trusts.
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust and Sussex Community NHS Trust have been authorised as foundation trusts by Monitor, effective from 1 April 2016.
These decisions mean there are now 155 NHS foundation trusts in total, more than 60% of all trusts in England’s NHS.
The trusts will now be able to give patients, staff and the public the chance to become members or governors with a formal say over how their trusts are run. The trusts will also have more freedom to shape services to match the needs of local people.
Miranda Carter, Executive Director of Provider Appraisal at Monitor said:
I’m delighted to announce the creation of these two new foundation trusts. It is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of every member of their staff.
As foundation trusts, these two organisations now have the freedom to develop services more tailored to the needs of the populations they serve.
To achieve foundation trust status, trusts must prove they are well-led. In addition, the independent Care Quality Commission (CQC) used its comprehensive inspection process to judge that the quality of care provided by the trusts met the standard expected.
As foundation trusts they will be:
- free from central government control and able to decide how to improve their services
- able to retain any surpluses they generate to invest in new services, and borrow money to support these investments
- accountable to their local communities, with local people as members and governors