NHS North West

What we do

Foundation Trust Programme

Two nurses discussing patient medication. In the North West, 25 hospital trusts have Foundation Trust (FT) status. These are a new type of NHS organisation established as independent, not-for-profit public benefit corporations which are accountable to their local communities rather than central government. Local people can become members and governors.

FT's decide how to improve their services and have greater financial freedom. These freedoms mean NHS foundation trusts can better match their healthcare services to local needs.

Which trusts in the North West are Foundation Trusts?

We have 24 NHS Foundation Trusts in the North West as at May 2009. Please click on the links to find out more about any individual Trust:

Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust

Blackpool Fylde & Wear Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust

The Walton Centre for Neurology & Neurosurgery NHS Trust

Another three hospital trusts are applying for Foundation status with the support of the Secretary of State for Health. The regulatory body, Monitor, is now assessing their applications. The trusts are listed below - please click on the links to see more information about the individual organisations.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital NHS Trust

University Hospitals Of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust

Foundation Trust equivalent:

Mental health trusts with high security services such as Mersey Care NHS Trust are now eligible to apply for Foundation Trust equivalent status.

Community Foundation Trusts:

The North West has three of the six national Community Foundation Trust pilots. The process to determine readiness has been completed and the three aspiring trusts are now going through the process required to achieve Foundation Trust.

Gaining Foundation Trust Status

The Board and the Foundation Trust team at NHS North West decide when a trust’s application is ready to be submitted to the Department of Health Applications Committee. Most successful applications occur where the trust and SHA work together. The SHA’s Foundation Trust team supports and develops trusts going for FT status and checks when organisations are ready.

Trusts can expect the overall process to take up to 18 months.

NHS North West assesses trusts against three key questions:

Is the application legal sound?
Is the trust financially viable?
Is the trust well governed?

For more information about Foundation Trusts in the North West, send us an e-mail.

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