Early lessons from the quality reports, produced by all foundation trusts a year in advance of the requirement that they publish formal quality accounts, have been set out in a report from the NHS Confederation’s Foundation Trust Network.

 

It acknowledges that only 54 per cent of foundation trusts had sought the views of carers and patients in their development of quality reports, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

 

Mental health trusts went furthest to hear from patients and carers in producing the standards and metrics to be used in their quality accounts, it says.

 

The report Quality Accounts 2: reviewing NHS foundation trusts’ 2009 experiences and plans, outlines the importance of engaging stakeholders and includes examples of ways in which foundation trusts have consulted the views of members, staff, patients and other interested parties.

 

But it argues that the time-table set by regulator Monitor for foundation trusts to produce their initial quality reports hampered their ability to ensure genuine stakeholder engagement.

 

“So far most NHS foundation trusts have ‘set out their stall’ in their early quality accounts based on limited stakeholder engagement and are looking to consult both more widely and more deeply as the journey continues,” the report says.

 

It provides examples of foundation trusts’ work across the four areas of leadership; stakeholder engagement; priorities, indicators and metrics; and embedding, in producing early versions of quality accounts, which must be produced by all acute, mental health and ambulance trusts by the end of June.

 

Foundation Trust Network director Sue Slipman said: “Quality accounts will give foundation trusts the scope to refine their thinking about priorities and communicate their philosophy to a wider audience.

 

It will also enhance their accountability to members and governors. Above all it will help to improve the quality of services to patients.”