This criticism comes in the wake
of a report from the National
Audit Office which said Monitor provided value for money in regulating
NHS foundation trusts and was generally effective in helping them to
improve.
However, the committee does put its finger on some of the difficult issues
the NHS faces as rising public demand and expectations of healthcare put
pressure on the budget. As the regulator, Monitor is not responsible for the
tough financial circumstances in which trusts find themselves.
Although the NHS foundation
trust sector as a whole is currently in surplus, a minority of trusts do face
complex operational and leadership challenges, including issues about the
quality of care patients receive. We are working hard with our NHS partners to
support trusts in solving all these problems. We acknowledge there is always
room for improvement, and we are already taking action along many of the lines
recommended by the committee.