Schedule 1 - Constitution of public benefit corporations
Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Bill
11:00 am
Ms Hazel Blears (Parliamentary Under-Secretary (public health), Department of Health; Salford, Labour)
I beg to move amendment No. 151, in
schedule 1, page 93, line 9, at end insert
'and, if the corporation is an NHS foundation trust, its name must include the words ''NHS foundation trust'''.
I join all of the other Committee members in welcoming you, Mr. Griffiths, as Chairman of this Committee. I have not had the pleasure of serving on a Committee with you as Chairman, and I look forward to doing so over the coming weeks, if not months, by the time the Bill leaves Committee.
The amendment seeks to include the words ''NHS foundation trust'' in the description of the public benefit corporation. The purpose of the amendment is to make it crystal clear that NHS foundation trusts will remain fully part of the NHS. It is important that that is clear to users, staff, patients and the local community. When patients access services, it is important that they have the reassurance of knowing that they are receiving NHS care and that that care will be provided to national standards, will be free at the point of use, and will reflect the values of the NHS. For that reason, the amendment requires that all NHS foundation trusts include the words ''NHS foundation trust'' in their names.
The amendment will serve the additional purpose of raising people's awareness of their foundation trust. I hope that that will encourage them to begin to take an active part in its governance. That will serve the useful purpose of raising awareness of this new form of public benefit corporation right across the community.