The relative performance of NHS foundation trusts compared to NHS trusts
30 July 2015
- Foundation Trusts were created to give the most successful NHS trusts more autonomy and more freedom to provider better care to their local population.
- Across a number of quality measures, Foundation Trusts and NHS trusts perform similarly.
- In patient satisfaction Foundation Trusts seem to outperform NHS trusts.
- There is large variation for both types of provider between the best and worst performing trust.
The first Foundation Trusts (FTs) were created in 2004 to give the most successful NHS trusts more autonomy to provide better care to their local population. They are accountable to different regulators, have different rules about their finances, and different governance structures.
However, across a number of quality measures, Foundation Trusts and NHS trusts perform similarly. For the proportion of patients receiving harm free care NHS trusts seem to outperform FTs. However, in patient satisfaction FTs seem to outperform NHS trusts. But the differences are not very large, and both groups include challenged providers.
Data sources
- NHS England. A&E Attendances and Emergency Admissions, Quarterly Aggregates, Quarter 4 2014/15
- Picker Institute. 2014 NHS Staff Survey results.
http://www.nhsstaffsurveys.com/Page/1006/Latest-Results/2014-Results/
- Health and Social Care Information Centre. NHS Safety Thermometer.
http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB17488/nhs-safe-rep-apr-2014-apr-2015.pdf
- Care Quality Commission. Adult inpatient survey. http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/inpatient-survey-2014
Related links
Work with us
We look for talented and passionate individuals as everyone at the Health Foundation has an important role to play.
View current vacanciesThe Q community
Q is an initiative connecting people with improvement expertise across the UK.
Find out more
