Public support for NHS Foundation Trust application

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital's Trust Board today lodged an application with the Health Secretary to become an NHS Foundation Trust following a successful three-month public consultation.

The public consultation regarding foundation trust status ran from 23rd April 2007 and ended on 13th July 2007. A total of 1,082 responses were received from people living in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and nearly nine out of ten (88 per cent) of respondents supported such a move.

Support for applying to become an NHS Foundation Trust also came from local MPs Norman Lamb, Charles Clarke and Richard Bacon, as well as Norfolk PCT, East of England NHS, Norfolk Police, county councils and other public sector and voluntary agencies.

People said they saw the following benefits to becoming an NHS Foundation Trust:

• opportunity for public and staff to become members and elected governors
• welcomed greater local accountability
• greater focus on local healthcare needs
• greater opportunities for collaborative working in public services

The application will now be considered by Health Secretary Alan Johnson and a decision is expected by the end of August. If successful the application will then go to foundation trust regulator Monitor for the final decision. The earliest the trust could become an NHS Foundation Trust is January 2008.

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust is the busiest hospital trust in the region and last year treated 626,358 patients, had an annual turnover of £311 million, and employed more than 5,500 staff.

People living in Norfolk and Waveney who are interested in becoming a member of the foundation trust can apply at www.nnuh.nhs.uk/page/ft