Dear Ms Speers,

Thank you for your email of 17 June concerning your Freedom of Information request (DE414841) for information related to the term Foundation Trust equivalent.

I am sorry to read that you have not received a response to your request.  However, our records show that a reply was sent to you on 5 June, and I have enclosed a copy below. As the case was answered on time, we will not treat this as an internal review.

To ensure you receive this copy of our reply, I would be grateful if you could confirm receipt of this response.

Yours sincerely,

David Winks

FOI Officer

Department of Health
 
                                     _____________________________
 
5 June 2009

DE00000414841

Dear Ms Speers,
 
Thank you for your email of 18 May requesting, under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, access to all documentation concerning the development of the term Foundation Trust equivalent (FTe).  Your email has been passed to me for reply.
Specifically, you raise a number of questions that I will address in turn.

1) Dates when decision on FTe was reached in Parliament?
 
On April 1 2009, Ministers confirmed that three Mental Health Trusts with high secure services would be eligible to apply for FTe status, giving these organisations similar freedoms to Foundation Trusts but acknowledging the requirement for central accountability for high secure services.  The press notice announcing this is available at the following web address:
http://nds.coi.gov.uk/environment/fullDetail.asp?ReleaseID=397788&NewsAreaID=2&NavigatedFromDepartment=False.
 
2) What was the intention of FTe as compared to Foundation Trust status?
 
The FTe model enables the three trusts, which because of their provision of high secure services cannot become full Foundation Trusts, to work towards a similar status.  Becoming a FTe organisation will allow the Trust to focus on the quality of its services, its governance, its financial position and its approach to improvement.  This is due to the different regime FTe organisations will operate within if successfully authorised.  However, to be authorised as an FTe, each trust will go through a rigorous assessment process.  If they pass, they will be treated as far as possible as Foundation Trusts.  This will mean they will have more involvement from their constituencies, will be subject to more proportionate risk-based performance monitoring, and a financial regime that will support the delivery of high quality services.
 
3) What documentation is available to show how the FTe registration process has been progressed?
 
The policy announcement on April 1 2009 confirmed that the trusts who manage the three high secure units in England are eligible to commence with their applications.  The first stage of this process for these trusts, as for aspirant Foundation Trusts, will be for their Strategic Health Authority (SHA) to approve them proceeding with their application.  With this support each trust can then undertake a public consultation.  This is about ensuring the application is reflective of views of the local population, service-users from wider geographical locations and other relevant stakeholders such as health service commissioners.  Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust have now started their FTe public consultation for which documentation is currently available on their website at: www.nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/about-the-trust/our-foundation-trust-equivalence-application/.
 
4) Who will be responsible for monitoring healthcare under FTe
 
Successful authorisation as an FTe will not change the legal constitution of the organisation, unlike Foundation Trusts.  This means that responsibility for regulation of healthcare under the FTe regime will remain with the SHA but will be modelled on how Monitor (www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk/) regulates the Foundation Trust sector.  SHAs will take a more risk-based approach in relation to non-high secure services, but will continue to performance manage high secure services as now.  FTes will also be subject to review by the Care Quality Commission.

I hope this reply is helpful.  Please contact us should you require further information, or if you wish to refine your request in light of our answers to your questions. 

If you have any queries about this email, please contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
 
If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have the right to ask for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter and should be addressed to:
 
Head of the Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health
Room 317
Richmond House
79 Whitehall,
London
SW1A 2NS
  
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxx.xxx.xx
 
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints procedure provided by the Department. The ICO can be contacted at:
 
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
 
Yours sincerely,
 
David Winks
Freedom of Information Team
Department of Health