30 July 2004
The number of NHS foundation trusts could double before a year-long moratorium is called on the scheme's expansion, the Department of Health said this week.
It is expected that the Healthcare Commission's review of the foundation initiative – ordered by Health Secretary John Reid to calm Labour backbenchers' fears over its impact – will begin this autumn. But new foundation trusts could be launched during the review.
Reid has forwarded 20 three-star trusts' applications for foundation status to foundation hospitals' regulator Bill Moyes. He will have the final say over which will become foundations in two waves, probably in November and February 2005.
Moyes was due to announce the names of the applicants for each wave after Public Finance went to press. The applicants put forward this week included Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull Trust, Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospitals Trust and The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals Trust.
Chesterfield said foundation status would enable it to press on with a number of initiatives, including consolidating children's facilities that are spread across north Derbyshire into a new building.
Currently, only three-star acute and specialist trusts are eligible for foundation status but Reid indicated that three-star mental health trusts would be able to apply later this year. If the Healthcare Commission's review is positive, the first mental health foundation trusts could be launched in the next tranche, due in early 2006.
The health secretary deferred one application – from South Devon Healthcare trust – because of the impact of payment by results on its finances.
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