The Trust has now re-engaged with the process to become a Foundation Trust. 

The Trust Board has approved the project initiation and the project has started.  The timeline  for becoming a Foundation Trust is not yet clear, this will be confirmed in the near future following an assessment by our Strategic Health Authority; NHS East Midlands.

A Foundation Trust is a new type of NHS organisation known as a ‘public benefit corporation’.  As public benefit corporations, Foundation Trusts are modelled upon co-operative and mutual traditions. 

This essentially means that a Foundation Trust will enjoy a greater level of freedom from day to day central government controls whilst at the same time involving local people as members of the organisation.
Members will let us know what services we should be providing.  This will enable us to develop services that are specific and subtle enough to meet the needs of the people of Derbyshire.  See the members page for more information.

Of course, the Foundation Trust will continue to work to national standards and will be inspected on a regular basis by national bodies to ensure the quality of services are maintained.  Indeed, there is evidence that over a fairly short period of time, services provided by a Foundation Trust will be of a higher quality and more responsive to the needs of the local population.  

As a Foundation Trust we will be in a position to provide even better care to the people of Derbyshire because:

Foundation Trusts are accountable to the people they serve.

• Services can be more easily developed to meet the specific needs of the people of Derbyshire
  

• Foundation Trusts can reinvest financial surpluses to develop service
  

• Foundation Trusts will remain a part of the NHS "family" of organisations
  

• Foundation Trusts will continue to be assessed for quality and safety by national bodies such as Monitor, the Care Quality Commission and the Mental Health Act Commission.
  
  

Part of the NHS Family
It should also be stressed that as a Foundation Trust we will continue to be part of the NHS family.  Treatment will continue be free at the point of delivery and we will continue to be funded through the NHS.