News / Administrators gear up for ‘test’ of failure plan

By Seamus Ward

The decision to put Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust into administration will be a ‘key test’ of the failure regime, according to the Foundation Trust Network (FTN).

Monitor took the widely expected move to appoint trust special administrators (TSAs) for Mid Staffordshire in April. Earlier this year, a contingency planning team concluded the trust’s small size meant it was neither clinically nor financially sustainable in its current form. It is the first time the TSA regime has been used for a foundation trust.

A doctor, Hugo Mascie-Taylor, and Ernst & Young’s Alan Bloom and Alan Hudson took over the running of the trust from 16 April and the executive team will report to them. Monitor said local clinical commissioners had indicated which services should continue to be provided locally and the TSAs would take this into account when forming their proposals.

The administrators will produce a plan for the future provision of the trust’s services and is in discussion with stakeholders. Their proposals will be put out for public consultation around 24 June, before a final decision is made. ?

Monitor chief executive David Bennett said the trust’s hospitals at Stafford and Cannock would continue to provide services as usual while the administration process was ongoing. ‘We have taken this decision to make sure that patients in the mid-Staffordshire area have the services they need in the future,’ he said.

‘It is now the role of the trust special administrators to work with the local community to decide the best way of delivering these services. There will be a full public consultation on any proposals for change.’

FTN chief executive Chris Hopson said: ‘Putting Mid Staffordshire into administration is a key test of the failure regime under the new healthcare system. The Foundation Trust Network hopes this announcement will mark another milestone in the process of successfully resolving the difficulties facing the trust.

‘We support all efforts to improve the quality of services for patients in Staffordshire and welcome this recognition that on occasions issues in the local healthcare economy have to be tackled regionally rather than just locally.’