Monitor welcomes two new NHS foundation trusts

Published on: 31st March 2009

Monitor, the independent regulator of NHS foundation trusts has today confirmed the following foundation trusts will be authorised from 1 April 2009:

  • Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; and
  • Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Calderstones Partnership is the first learning disability NHS foundation trust to be authorised. The announcement means there are now 117 NHS foundation trusts in total.

NHS foundation trusts benefit from a variety of new freedoms:

  • they are free from central government control and are able to decide how to improve their services;
  • they can retain any surpluses they generate to invest in new services, and can borrow money to support these investments; and 
  • they are accountable to their local communities; local people can become members and governors.

These freedoms mean NHS foundation trusts can better shape their healthcare services around local needs and priorities and the requirements of their primary care trusts.

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. Over half of acute and mental health trusts are now foundation trusts:
    - NHS foundation trusts have now recruited over 1.2 million members
    - NHS foundation trusts now employ over 380,000 staff
    - The first wave of acute NHS foundation trusts were authorised by Monitor on 1 April 2004
    - The first wave of mental health NHS foundation trusts were authorised on 1 May 2006
  2. For media enquiries please contact Michael Moruzzi 020 7340 2438.
  3. Monitor authorises and regulates NHS foundation trusts ensuring they are well-managed and financially viable in order to deliver high quality healthcare for patients.
  4. Monitor was established in January 2004. It is independent of government and accountable to Parliament. Monitor’s functions and powers are set out in the National Health Service Act 2006.