Foundation trust consultation launch

Sussex Community NHS Trust has begun a twelve-week consultation process to ask the people it serves to back its bid to become an independent community NHS foundation trust (FT) by 2014.
A team from the Kleinwort Centre at the lunch of the consultationA team from the Kleinwort Centre at the lunch of the consultation
A team from the Kleinwort Centre at the lunch of the consultation

NHS foundation trusts are high-performing NHS organisations, and already provide over half of all NHS services in England. FTs work within the framework of the NHS Constitution, providing health and care services that are free at the point of delivery.

One of the key benefits in becoming an FT is that they have more freedom from government than standard NHS trusts. This gives them greater scope to decide their own future, and more financial autonomy through which they can invest to improve services for patients.

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FTs are also able to develop new links with the communities they serve through a system of members and governors who can have a real influence over the way the FT is run.

Taking part in a special launch event at the Kleinwort Centre in Haywards Health this week, Claire Anderson, Kleinwort Centre therapy lead, SCT, said: “We want to become an FT so we can make full use of the benefits FT status brings to improve the ways we serve our local communities.

“Becoming an FT will enable us to maintain a clear focus on community healthcare and strengthen our commitment to put our patients at the heart of all we do. It will help us to build on the work we are already doing to make our services more sensitive to patients’ needs and wants.”

Sue Sjuve, SCT trust chair, added: “One of the biggest benefits in becoming an FT is that it gives our patients and staff as members a greater say in shaping our plans and designing our services.

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“To succeed with our FT bid we need to show we have the backing of local people, our health and care partners and our staff. So we hope you will engage with us during our consultation and register your support for our FT ambitions.”

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