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Monitor

  • Last modified date:
    9 February 2007

Monitor is the independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts and is responsible for authorising, monitoring and regulating NHS Foundation Trusts.

Monitor receives and considers applications from NHS Trusts seeking foundation status. If satisfied that certain criteria are met, Monitor will authorise them to operate as NHS Foundation Trusts.

Monitor negotiate terms of authorisation with each applicant Trust which set out the conditions under which an NHS Foundation Trust is required to operate, covering:

  • a description of the goods and services related to the provision of healthcare that the NHS Foundation Trust is authorised to provide
  • limits on the amount of income that the NHS Foundation Trust is allowed to earn from private charges
  • limits on the amount of money that the NHS Foundation Trust is allowed to borrow
  • financial and statistical information the foundation trust is required to provide

Once NHS Foundation Trusts are established, Monitor regulates their activities to ensure that they comply with the requirements of their terms of authorisation. Monitor has the powers to intervene in the running of an NHS Foundation Trust in the event of failings in its healthcare standards or other aspects of its activities, which amount to a significant breach of their terms of authorisation.

For more information, visit:

The Foundation Trust Network (FTN) is a membership organisation open to authorised and applicant NHS Foundation Trusts. Established in June 2004, it works to represent the views of NHS Foundation Trusts and to share learning and good practice, both within the Foundation Trust movement and with the rest of the NHS. The FTN is hosted by the NHS Confederation, but its work programme is steered by an independent board elected by its members.

For more information, visit

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