News / FTN calls for transition fund

The Foundation Trust Network (FTN) has called for a transition fund, full provider engagement and an extension of deadlines to ensure the better care fund is implemented successfully.

Under the fund, in 2015/16 almost £2bn will be transferred out of clinical commissioning group funding in addition to the existing NHS transfer to social care. It is likely it will be spent on services outside hospital. The FTN believes a short-term transition or change fund is needed to support providers, with longer term investment to follow, including a period of double-running.

Chief executive Chris Hopson said: ‘New integrated models of care take time to establish. Extended deadlines are needed to facilitate change of this scale and appropriate transition funding.’

Clinical commissioning groups and local authorities were to submit final better care fund plans last month, developed with other stakeholders including providers. But an FTN survey of 50 acute, ambulance, community and mental health providers showed just 2% felt they had been fully involved in plan development.

Only 11% of providers were positive about the impact of the fund on their finances, while 32% felt it would be negative. This rose to 67% in acute trusts alone.

The FTN said a key concern was that core funding would be removed from provider budgets at a time of financial challenge. Patient care might be compromised if the costs outweighed the benefits of implementing the fund.