Mental Health Trust wants to go Foundation

9.58.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 17th Sep 2009

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust - AWP for short - wants to become a Foundation Trust.

A formal consultation on the proposed change is running until November 26th.

Foundation Trust status would allow much more public involvement in the way the organisation is run, and there would be a complex system of trustees and governors helping to manage it.

Although mental health is often seen as the Cinderella of the NHS AWP currently spends £195 million per year. It has 15 inpatient facilities and more than 90 community bases.

Becoming a Foundation Trust would not affect their status as part of the NHS, but it would allow users, carers, professionals and interested members of the public to get more involved. AWP say it would also lead to more effective working with other community organisations and help them get a better deal for patients.

A report on the proposals goes to the council's Health and Adult Social Care Committee today. The committee's response will then become part of the consultation process.

To see the full report go to

http://194.72.162.210/documents/dscgi/ds.py/View/Collection-1847