Public involvement among first wave applicants for Foundation Trust status

A new report from the Sainsbury Centre examines how first wave applicants for foundation status are involving their local community.

The future for foundation trusts remains the focus of intense political debate, both inside and outside Parliament. Sainsbury Centre feels that it is important to extend the debate on foundation trusts to mental health care; mental health trusts should not 'sleepwalk' into changes designed for other sections of the healthcare system, but should tackle the implications of change head on and take advantage of them for mental health service users.

The report concentrates on a number of acute hospital trusts who form part of the first wave of applicants for foundation status. It looks at how these trusts are trying to gain the support of local people and reach out to excluded groups.

The report evaluates the literature produced by a small sample of these first wave applicants to examine how they present the potential benefits and disadvantages of foundation status to their community; and how they work with PCTs, community and voluntary groups, local authorities, MPs and other local 'influencers'.