§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what process will be used to recruit members of NHS Foundation Trusts. [127625]
§ Mr. HuttonIt will be for each national health service foundation trust to determine what approach to take.
A source book has now been developed to help applicants for NHS foundation trust status develop their governance and membership arrangements. NHS foundation trusts will be under a statutory duty to take steps to have a representative membership.
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether foundation hospitals established in England will be required to treat patients referred by general practitioners based in Wales. [127376]
§ Mr. HuttonArrangements for cross border referrals to national health service foundation trusts are expected to continue to work in the same way as referrals from NHS Commissioners in Wales to NHS trusts currently operate.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of how many members a foundation trust will have. [127644]
§ Mr. HuttonNational health service foundation trusts will be required to set their own minimum membership as part of their constitution. The Independent Regulator must be satisfied that the membership is sufficient to ensure that a Board of Governors can be elected according to its constitution and that the actual membership will be representative of those eligible.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for piloting the scheme for foundation hospitals. [127645]
§ Mr. HuttonWe have no plans to pilot national health service foundation trusts.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to send out the source book for foundation hospital applicants. [127646]
§ Mr. HuttonA first version of the governance source book has been made available to applicants. This will be supplemented, over time, to include learning from the experience of first wave applicants.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the Foundation Trusts Regulator. [127662]
§ Mr. HuttonSubject to Parliament, the Independent Regulator for National Health Service foundation trusts will be responsible for authorising, monitoring and regulating NHS foundation trusts. Details of the role of the Independent Regulator can be found in the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill.
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§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Regulator of Foundation Trusts will be required to maintain universal access to healthcare services. [127663]
§ Mr. HuttonSubject to legislation, the Independent Regulator will be required to exercise his functions in a manner that is consistent with the performance by the Secretary of State of the duties under sections 1, 3 and 51 of the National Health Service Act 1977.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what role he will play in the work of foundation trusts. [127664]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the National Health Service. The Secretary of State sets the strategic vision for the health service, distributes resources to the NHS, sets the national tariff and will set national standards. The Secretary of State's main role, with regard to NHS foundations trusts, will be to decide whether to support proposals for NHS foundation trust status.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to ensure that foundation trusts do not turn away patients with chronic conditions. [127665]
§ Mr. HuttonThe services National Health Service foundation trusts provide for NHS Commissioners will be set out in legally binding contracts.
NHS foundation trusts will be required, under their terms of authorisation, to continue to provide essential NHS services to NHS commissioners.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether each foundation trust will have unique clinical targets and health care priorities. [127666]
§ Mr. HuttonNational Health Service foundation trusts will be established with the principal purpose of providing NHS services to NHS patients. They will be held to account for delivering the outputs agreed with primary care trusts and other partners in the health economy, as part of the commissioning process.
NHS foundation trusts will be independently inspected by the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection against the same national standards as other NHS trusts.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the extent to which foundation trusts will have access to non-public finance. [127681]
§ Mr. HuttonNational health service foundation trusts will have freedom to decide where to go for capital borrowing.
§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with City institutions about interest rates available for bond-based finance for foundation trusts. [127682]
§ Mr. HuttonThe Department of Health has undertaken a wide range of consultations with a variety of City institutions over future financing options for national health service foundation trusts.