Put simply, a Foundation Trust is an NHS organisation that gives greater opportunities for local people, patients and staff to have more of a say about the way in which services are provided.
Part of the NHS
An NHS Foundation Trust is still part of the NHS and follows all the same national guidelines, targets, standards and principles, especially the one that has underpinned Britain's National Health Service for more than 60 years - that services are free and based on need.
Greater independence
A Foundation Trust does however operate independently of central Government controls, giving us the ability to take our own decisions, which means we can respond directly to local needs, designing services to meet them and, if necessary, borrowing and raising money to fund them.
In other words, a Foundation Trust is accountable to patients and the community. This is achieved through making membership of the Trust available to all, so please take the opportunity to become a member of the Trust and have a say in it's future.