TCS a risk to North Devon Healthcare becoming FT

The trust already ran five community hospitals along with the acute North Devon District Hospital when it took on 12 more hospitals and community health services from NHS Devon on April 1.

A report updating the trust board on progress towards foundation trust status revealed that although NHS South West has signed off the tripartite formal agreement (TPA), the department of health has not yet approved it or any other agreements from the south west.

TPAs set out how a trust will progress towards FT status and identifies any risks.

The report lists the risks as:

• Lack of certainty around the medium to long-term integration of the Transforming Community Services has a significant impact on the Trust’s 5-year Service Strategy and integrated business plan;
• Development of the Trust’s strategy and financial model is dependent on understanding the commissioners’ intentions and financial risk sharing arrangements;
• Following the transfer of services on 1 April 2011, unforeseen risks may be identified;
• Lack of clarity of process for transferring assets;
• Potential lack of funding available to invest in and to maintain transferred assets.

The trust has begun recruitment for a corporate project manager who will support the foundation trust application project and the ongoing transforming community services due diligence work. It is hoped a candidate will be in post by the beginning of August.