Introduction and timetable for application

Foundation Trust Website

Introduction

We are currently consulting on some limited variations to the arrangements we agreed in 2010 after consulting with the local community and with key stakeholders. Please see the link to consultation to read about them.

NHS Foundation Trusts - factfile

NHS Foundation Trusts are a new type of organisation which all hospitals will be part of in the future
They are not-for-profit, public benefit corporations which are part of the National Health Service and must meet national standards
They continue to provide services to patients based on need, not the ability to pay, but have more freedom to develop and innovate to improve patient care
Foundation Trust recruit members - many of whom are patients or members of staff - who help the hospitals plan their future
Membership is free of charge and once the organisation is established, members can both vote in elections for governors, and stand themselves if they wish to

What is a Foundation Trust?

Foundation Trusts are a relatively new type of organisation within the NHS and numbers are increasing all the time
All hospitals will need to be part of a Foundation Trust in the future
They are not-for-profit, public benefit corporations which are part of the National Health Service. Any surplus they generate will be reinvested in improving local services
They embody NHS values and are overseen by a national body, Monitor, which checks that the organisation is performing against a range of national standards
They continue to provide services to patients based on need, not the ability to pay, but have more freedom to develop and innovate to improve patient care
Foundation Trust recruit members - many of whom are patients or members of staff - can influence decision making and help the hospitals plan their future
Membership is free of charge and once the organisation is established, members can both vote in elections for governors, and stand themselves if they wish to
Many hospitals in our regions - in Bradford, York, Halifax and Huddersfield, for example, are already NHS Foundation Trusts.

How a Foundation Trust works

Democratic: The idea of Foundation Trusts is that they are democratic. Essentially everyone has a ‘say’ but decisions are taken based on the views of the majority of members.
Members of the Foundation Trust elect representatives from amongst the membership to serve on a Governors Council.
The Governors Council works closely with the Board of Directors (which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the hospital) to decide on the way in which hospital services are developed, this way we’ll be certain that the type of healthcare provided by the QEH is absolutely right for the families who live in this area.
Law: NHS Foundation Trusts have been established by law under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 as legally independent organisations known as Public Benefit Corporations. A Foundation Trust is not a move towards privatisation.
Assets: We’ll still be required by law to use our assets, such as our land and buildings, in support of our main purpose, which is the provide NHS services to NHS patients. And we can’t use our protected assets as security for borrowing.
Accountability: We’ll have to operate within a clear ‘accountability’ framework. This means that the new Foundation Trust will answer locally to its members – which could include you and your family – through the Governors’ Council, and to local commissioners. Commissioners are the bodies such as Primary Care Trusts who “buy-in” health services on behalf of local people by way of legally-binding agreements.
Regulation: A Foundation Trust is also accountable to an organisation called Monitor, which is the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts.

Benefits

We believe that there will be long-term benefits for patients, the public and staff.