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NHS foundation trusts
NHS foundation trusts (often referred to as 'foundation hospitals') are at the cutting edge of the Government's commitment to the decentralisation of public services and the creation of a patient-led NHS. NHS foundation trusts are a new type of NHS trust in England and have been created to devolve decision-making from central government control to local organisations and communities so they are more responsive to the needs and wishes of their local people. The introduction of NHS foundation trusts represents a profound change in the history of the NHS and the way in which hospital services are managed and provided
NHS foundation trusts - introduction
Application process
NHS foundation trust status is open to acute, specialist, mental health and care trusts. The Government is committed to all NHS trusts being given the opportunity to apply for foundation status at the earliest opportunity.
- Download Overview of the application process (PDF, 15K)
- Applying for NHS foundation trust status: Guide for applicants (February 2007)
- Applying for NHS foundation trust status: Guide for mental health NHS Trusts (April 2006)
- Sourcebook to help NHS Foundation Trust applicants develop their governance arrangements
- Business planning sourcebook
- NHS foundation trusts: A guide to developing HR arrangements
- Application assessment summaries
Aspects of NHS foundation trusts
Contracting and partnerships
Following authorisation as a foundation trust, contracts with other NHS bodies will be legally binding and therefore will no longer be NHS contracts: disputes will no longer be subject to resolution by the Secretary of State for Health. This change in contract status means that NHSFTs and their commissioning partners should consider reviewing their existing contracts.
Four different contract models and guides have been produced for use in connection with the provision of clinical, non-commercial, mental health services, and education and training by NHS primary care trusts (PCT) and foundation trusts (NHSFT).
- The NHS contract for acute hospital services will cover agreements between PCTs and providers for the delivery of acute hospital based care.
- The second model will cover contracting for non-commercial services.
- The mental health services model is for use by a single PCT commissioning services from a single NHSFT.
- The education and training contract, to be used by NHSFTs and SHAs, will be a ‘wrapper’ document.
The Whole Health Community Diagnostic Programme
The diagnostic exercise consists of tools and methodologies to help an NHS trust identify the key areas it can and should address to have the opportunity to apply for NHS foundation trust status. The first part of this programme will focus on NHS acute trusts and their development towards NHSFT status. The second part of the whole health community programme, to follow in 2006, will focus on PCTs and their commissioning capability. The diagnostic programme now includes mental health. The Department of Health and Monitor have produced a guide and adapted a package of diagnostic tools for SHAs and mental health trusts to assist in the roll out of the programme:
Authorised NHS foundation trusts
There are now 105 NHS foundation trusts in operation across England.
Contact us
Information and contact details to receive further details on NHS foundation trusts.
Additional links
Membership Governance in NHS Foundation Trusts: A Review for the Department of Health
An independent review on behalf of ministers, led by Mutuo and the University of Birmingham, into membership governance in NHS foundations trusts
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