24 January 2003
In written evidence to the Commons health select committee inquiry into the initiative, the BMA said that more emphasis should be given to helping poorly performing hospitals, rather than giving the best, three-star, trusts greater freedoms from Whitehall control.
BMA chair Ian Bogle said foundation trusts would have to demonstrate long-term revenue streams. But he insisted this was at odds with the planned new system of financial flows around the NHS, which will be introduced from April.
Bogle feared government plans to prevent foundation trusts poaching staff from other hospitals would prove inadequate.
Foundation trusts' ability to retain financial surpluses could prompt them to stop offering care to patients in need of more complex, expensive treatments. Poorer staffed and less well-off non-foundation hospitals would have to take these patients.
'The health service has too many policy initiatives pulling in different directions,' Bogle said.
PFjan2003
