Foundation Trusts are a new type of organisation, created under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. As a Foundation Trust, we are still part of the NHS and have to meet the same national targets and standards.
However, the change in governance arrangements is significant and is designed to lead to greater local accountability and to provide new opportunities for local people, patients and staff to have a say about the way we provide our services. NHS Foundation Trust status also gives us greater freedom from central Government control and new financial flexibility.
Why have we become a Foundation Trust?
As a Foundation Trust, it will:
- Help us to deliver improvements in patient care
- Strengthen our links with local communities
- Make us more open and accountable
- Help us to build on the work we are already doing to make our services more sensitive to the needs of patients
- Strengthen involvement opportunities for service users, cares, staff, and members of the public through a membership scheme
- Strengthen our contracting arrangements with our commissioners
How do Foundation Trusts work?
A Foundation Trust has members and a Board of Governors. The Board of Governors are elected by the members and more than half the Board are local people or service users and carers. There are also places reserved for staff members and for local partner organisations.
The Board advises a Foundation Trust on how it carries out its work so that this is consistent with the needs of the members and wider community.
The Board of Governors makes sure the Trust carries out its duties in ways that are consistent with NHS values and the licence agreed with the Independent Regulator for NHS Foundation Trusts. The Board also advises on the longer-term strategy of the Trust.
A Board of Directors is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Trust.
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