UK: NHS Foundation Trust Governance Code - revised edition published

Monitor has published a revised edition of its NHS Foundation Trust Code of Governance: see here (pdf). The revised edition, dated July 2014, replaces the Code published in December 2013. A list of the changes is available here (pdf).

UK: Monitor guidance on external governance reviews for NHS foundation trusts

Monitor, the regulator for health services in England, has published guidance for NHS foundation trusts in respect of external reviews of their governance: see here (pdf). The guidance document sets out Monitor's expectation that such reviews will be carried out every three years.

UK: Code of Governance for NHS Foundation Trusts

Monitor, the regulator for health services in England, has published a revised edition of its NHS Foundation Trust Governance Code: see here (pdf).

UK: England: Monitor consultation on revised Code of Governance for NHS Trusts

Monitor - the regulator for health services in England - has recently consulted on a revised edition of its Code of Governance for NHS Trusts, to take effect from 1 April 2014: see here (pdf).

UK: NHS foundation trusts - guidance on director and governor interactions

Earlier this month Monitor published Director-governor interaction in NHS foundation trusts: A best practice guide for boards of directors: see here (pdf). As well as the best practice guidance, the guide briefly highlights some of the changes to the role of governors that will be made by the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Monitor will publish an updated edition of its Code of Governance for NHS Foundation Trusts next year to reflect the changes being introduced by the 2012 Act including the duty imposed on governors to hold the non-executive directors individually and collectively to account for the performance of the board of directors (see section 151 and the accompanying explanatory notes).  Section 152 specifies some of the duties owed by directors of foundation trusts and these are similar to those imposed on directors by the Companies Act 2006.

UK: NHS foundation trusts and the role of governors

The House of Commons Health Committee recently published its report Annual accountability hearing with Monitor: see here or here (pdf). Monitor is the independent regulator of National Health Service foundation trusts (last year it published an updated edition of its Code of Governance for NHS Foundation Trusts). Under the Health and Social Care Bill, Monitor's role will change and foundation trust governors will have much greater responsibilities in respect of the accountability of the foundation trust board. Whether governors will be able to fulfil these increased expectations is a concern for the Committee, which recommends that the Government should, if necessary, provide additional resources to Monitor (for the purposes of supporting boards and governors) or consider delaying the introduction of the governors' new responsibilities.