Lessons from Europe

Abstract

Successive UK and European governments have believed that granting a hospital or healthcare provider the ability to make its own strategic or financial decisions will secure the quality, innovation and productivity required to improve healthcare delivery.

In England, the NHS foundation trust model has become the preferred form of provider governance. Originally designated as an ‘elite’ model offering earned autonomy to reward high-performing trusts, the Government now expects most providers operating in the NHS to achieve foundation trust status by 2014.

This Briefing outlines key insights from a Lessons from Europe seminar that examined the impact of recent reforms in hospital governance in Spain and the Netherlands. It identifies lessons for NHS managers and policymakers in England on how to approach the challenge of effective provider governance as the present NHS reforms are implemented.