Under the Health and Social Care Act (2012), Monitor will have a continuing role in assessing NHS trusts for foundation trust status, and for ensuring that foundation trusts are financially viable and well-led, in terms of both quality and finances.
The Act states that all NHS trusts will be required to become foundation trusts (or become part of a foundation trust) as soon as clinically feasible, with a clear target of April 2014.
We welcome this commitment and remain committed to seeing all trusts capable of becoming foundation trusts come forward to Monitor for assessment, and will be working with the Department of Health to help it achieve this. However, our main priority is to ensure that our assessment standards remain consistent throughout the drive to ensure all eligible trusts reach foundation trust status. You can read more about our assessment process here.
Under the current system, Monitor is the regulator of NHS foundation trusts. This means that we monitor their performance and ensure that they continue to be well led and financially viable. You can read more about how we do this here. Under the Act Monitor will retain this role.