20 January 2006
Five mental health trusts could be awarded foundation status in April, even though the Department of Health has yet to finalise how they will operate the payment by results funding system.
This week the department backed the applications of five mental health trusts and 13 acute and specialist trusts. These will now be assessed by the foundation trusts' regulator Monitor, together with six deferred applications.
The five mental health applicants are Gloucestershire Partnership, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare, Oxleas, South Essex Partnership and South Staffordshire Healthcare trusts. The acute applicants include the Salford Royal Hospitals and South Devon Healthcare trusts.
Although a working PbR system is not essential for foundation status, mental health trusts are worried about being 'left behind' the mainstream NHS.
Acute foundations have implemented PbR early but it is difficult to implement the mechanism in mental health because care is often provided over long periods and is more complex.
Despite the question mark, South Essex Partnership Trust chief executive Patrick Geoghegan was confident of the benefits of foundation status. 'It will enhance the involvement of our service users and carers in how we develop and provide their care,' he added.
PFjan2006
