Monitor approves first ambulance trusts as foundation trusts
1 Mar 2011 10:42 AM
Monitor’s board has today confirmed that two ambulance trusts will be authorised as foundation trusts from 1 March 2011.
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust are the first of the 11 English ambulance services to achieve foundation trust status.
Under proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill currently passing through parliament, every ambulance service in England will become a foundation trust, or form part of one, by April 2014.
Having achieved NHS foundation trust status the trusts will benefit from a variety of new freedoms:
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NHS foundation trusts are free from central government control and are able to decide how to improve their services;
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NHS foundation trusts retain any surpluses they generate to invest in new services, and can borrow money to support these investments; and
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NHS foundation trusts 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 for editors
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For media enquiries please contact Veena Hudson, Head of Media and Stakeholder Relations, on 020 7340 2446.
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Ambulance trusts have been able to apply for foundation status since 1 April 2009.
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The announcement means there are now 136 NHS foundation trusts in total.
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Over half of acute and mental health trusts are now foundation trusts:
- 56% of acute and 73% of mental health trusts are now NHS foundation trusts
- NHS foundation trusts have a cumulative turnover in excess of £29.2 billion
- NHS foundation trusts now employ over 471,000 staff
- The first wave of acute NHS foundation trusts were authorised by Monitor on 1 April 2004
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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. Monitor authorises and regulates NHS foundation trusts ensuring they are well-managed and financially viable in order to deliver high quality healthcare for patients.
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