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Monitor, the independent regulator for NHS foundation trusts confirmed the following foundation trusts will be authorised from 1 August 2008:

• Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
• Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The announcement means there are now 105 NHS foundation trusts in total, of which 31 are mental health NHS foundation trusts.

Having achieved NHS foundation trust status these trusts will 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.

Notes to editors

1. Facts and figures about NHS foundation trusts:

- NHS foundation trusts have now recruited over 1.2 million members

- NHS foundation trusts now employ over 340,000 staff

- 44% of acute trusts are now NHS foundation trusts

- 54% of mental health trusts are now NHS foundation trusts

- 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 on 020 7340 2438 or Jemma Roche on 020 7340 2477.

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.