04 May 2007
Around half of all acute and mental health trusts in England will have achieved foundation status by April 2008, Monitor said this week.
The foundation trust regulator made the claim as it authorised a further three organisations from May 1. There are now 65, including eight mental health trusts, and a further 30 applicants in the pipeline. The 65 have a combined income of almost £12.5bn.
The Department of Health might back additional applicants over the next 12 months, by which time Monitor expects to have authorised 'around 100' foundations. Currently 152 mental health and acute trusts do not have the status.
The new organisations are Berkshire Healthcare, Central and North West London Mental Health and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals.
The chair of Central and North West London Mental Health Foundation Trust, Dame Ruth Runciman, said: 'This gives us the opportunity to shape the future of our services in collaboration with service users and local residents, as well as bringing the trust greater financial stability.'
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