Response to foundation trust public consultation

Between May and August 2012 we carried out a public consultation about becoming a foundation trust. We asked service users and carers, the public, organisations we work with, and our own staff for their views on our plans.

Since then we have been reading, reviewing and analysing all the responses, taking on board comments and suggestions, and have amended our original proposals in line with the views expressed by people who responded. Our thanks go to everyone who took part in the consultation and we now look forward to forging even stronger links with our stakeholders and the local community. We believe that our FT plans are stronger and better because of the feedback we received.

To read the public consultation response, see our e-booklet:

 Public consultation response booklet (3.5MB)

What it means to be a foundation trust

Becoming a NHS foundation trust will mean we will have far greater independence to develop patient-focussed services with our partners to continue to provide high-quality care for people of all ages with mental health problems in Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth. We can also continue to develop our national specialist services, such as the only dedicated in-patient unit for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in the UK. It will also give us more financial freedom to develop services that will benefit local communities.

At the end of the consultation, after considering all the responses, we will feed them into the formal application we make to the Department of Health to become a NHS foundation trust.

Watch this space for updates over the next 2 months as we look to respond to public consultation feedback.