NHS managers could face removal

The Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has warned NHS managers that they will be removed and replaced if they fail to meet the foundation trust deadline in 2014.

There are still 69 remaining acute hospital trusts yet to become clinically and financially stable in order to gain foundation trust status, and the rate at which hospitals achieve authorisation has slowed since 2008/9. Only 14 foundation trusts have been authorised since the end of 2009.

Last month, the Department of Health said that up to 36 trusts that could need access to £376m in government loans in order to stabilise and become foundation trusts.

Lansley told an audience of policy makers, NHS experts and private healthcare executives: “Sometimes, the problem rests with a hospital's management team – unable to take the difficult decisions needed to turn things around.

“For them, I have a stark warning. If your hospitals are not there by the time you say, you're not getting there at all. The secretary of state has the power to remove and replace management teams that fail to deliver, and I will not hesitate to use that power if needed.”