Next Wave Of Prospective Flagship Hospitals Receive Government Support - UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 18 Jan 2005 - 11:00 PDT


Reid gives the green light to 32 more Trusts to apply for Foundation status -

UK Health Secretary John Reid today announced the next group of NHS Trusts allowed to make a formal application for NHS Foundation Trust status.

He announced that all 32 Trusts that had submitted preliminary applications - including for the first time 8 Mental Health Trusts - had been successful and will now be asked to submit a more detailed application.

The Secretary of State will then review these more comprehensive applications and decide which ones to support before the Trusts formally apply to Monitor - the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts - for foundation status. Authorisations from the regulator are expected to commence from Spring 2006.

The 32 Trusts are:

Acute and Specialist NHS Trusts

- Bedford Hospitals NHS Trust.
- Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust
- Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust
- Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children NHS Trust
- Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust.
- Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust.
- Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust.
- Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust
- Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust
- Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust
- Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust.
- Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust Birmingham
- Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust
- Salisbury Health Care NHS Trust
- Sheffield Children's NHS Trust
- Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Trust
- South Warwickshire General Hospitals NHS Trust.
- St Mary's NHS Trust
- Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
- Walton Centre for Neurology & Neurosurgery NHS Trust

Mental Health Trusts

- Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust
- Gloucestershire Partnership NHS Trust
- North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
- Oxleas NHS Trust
- South Essex Partnership NHS Trust
- South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
- South Staffordshire Healthcare NHS Trust

There are currently 25 NHS Foundation Trusts in existence with another 10 seeking to become NHS Foundation Trusts from 1 April 2005.

Mr Reid said today's announcement showed the Government's commitment to ensuring that all Trusts were in a position to apply for foundation status.

He said:

"I am delighted that 32 more hospitals now have the chance to progress their application for foundation status.

"Trusts already enjoying foundation status are making a real difference in encouraging local innovation in how health services are delivered, meaning greater benefits for patients.

"The applications we're supporting today demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that all Trusts have the opportunity to gain such freedom and independence and are in a position to apply by 2008."

"I expect to make decisions on more detailed applications in autumn 2005 after I have had the opportunity to consider carefully the outcome of the review by the Healthcare Commission, due to be published in summer 2005."

Notes to editors:

1. All 32 Trusts submitted preliminary applications for NHS Foundation Trust status as part of wave 2 in late November 2004. The 32 all submitted preliminary applications, which were assessed against six key areas:

- responsiveness to patients
- clinical standards
- leadership and management
- commitment and support of staff
- partnership working and stakeholder support
- financial performance

2. To be eligible to apply as part of wave 2, applicants had to be an acute, specialist or Mental Health NHS Trust and hold a 3 star rating in the 2003/04 NHS performance ratings. Wave 2 gave, for the first time, the opportunity for Mental Health Trusts to apply for NHS Foundation Trust status.

3. All 32 applicants will now be asked to develop a more detailed preparatory application. Applicants will be required to develop new governance arrangements, a 5 year business plan (Service Development Strategy) and a HR strategy. Applicants must hold a public consultation and demonstrate that they have consulted staff, local NHS partners and the public on their proposals and that their proposals 'fit' with the local vision for health services. Applicants will also undergo an independent financial review.

4. The Secretary of State will also only consider preparatory phase applications from wave 2 applicants once he has had the opportunity to consider the outcome of the review into the impact of Foundation Trusts on services, currently being undertaken by the Healthcare Commission and due to be published in summer 2005. Wave 2 applicants will also only commence their public consultations once the Healthcare Commission's report has been published.

5. NHS Trusts wishing to become NHS Foundation Trusts must first obtain the support of the Secretary of State before they can make an application to Monitor (whose statutory name is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) for authorisation as an NHS Foundation Trust.

6. The Secretary of State's assessment considers the quality and completeness of the application at the NHS system level (e.g. fit of the proposals with the local NHS vision, commitment to development of NHS staff etc). By contrast, Monitor looks at the detail of individual applicants in determining whether to authorise a Trust as a NHSFT or not e.g. is it financially viable and sustainable, is its constitution compliant with the legislation, is it well managed etc. Decisions on authorisations are strictly for Monitor, after having satisfied itself of an applicant's preparedness and viability for foundation status.

7. There are now 25 NHS Foundation Trusts in existence.

Wave 1 ("Group 1"): authorised on 1 April 2004


- Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust
- Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
- Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Wave 1 (" Group 2"): authorised on 1 July 2004

- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (formerly Addenbrooke's NHS Trust)
- City Hospital Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
- Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Wave 1A ("Group 3"): authorised on 1 January 2005

- Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust (authorised on 5 January 2005)
- Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
- South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust

8. A further 10 Trusts are working towards authorisation from 1 April 2005 as part the second group in wave 1A ("group 4"). The Department is also working with other Trusts who deferred or were unable to proceed in previous waves so that they are in a position to secure Secretary of State's approval to make an application to Monitor for authorisation as an NHS Foundation Trust at the next earliest opportunity.

9. For media enquiries only please contact 020 7210 5896. For non-media enquiries contact 020 7210 4850.

GNNREF: 108933
Issued by : DOH Press Office (UK)

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