Influencing & policy

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The Foundation Trust Network's policy development and influencing work is focused on promoting and protecting our members' interests against the backdrop of a rapidly changing health service and an extremely challenging financial context.

Our policy solutions are grounded in practice, developed in partnership with our members, and based on a wide-ranging knowledge of member needs and how the system works. Working closely with Government, parliamentarians and industry regulators, our understanding of policy-making and the political context ensures that the voice of NHS public providers is heard at the highest levels.

Here  you will find FTN policy papers and reports, consultation responses, and in Westminster Watch, updates on the key issues being debated in Parliament. Our work is organised around the following themes:

The FTN has published on the day briefings for members on the Government's response to the Francis Report and Monitor's Fair Playing Field review - see the links at the foot of this page.

• System reform  Covering our work shaping the NHS reforms and overall system architecture.
• Regulation  FTN's work with key regulators - the CQC and Monitor - and an overview of the role of competition and FT boards and governors in the regulatory landscape.
• Quality  With access to the FTN's work on Quality Accounts, our new work programme on the drivers of quality in the new system and a broader look at the foundation trust's corporate social responsibility role.
• Governance  Providing an overview of the critical governance policy issues facing foundation trusts and NHS trusts seeking authorisation.
• Finance  Key financial issues including the standard contract, access to capital, demand management, payment by results and provider economics.
• Business development   The commercial activities of foundation trusts, including partnerships, new business models, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, tenders and procurement.
• Workforce  Outlining the FTN's contribution to developing an employer-led workforce policy for the NHS.

Read our briefing on the mandate for NHS England.

Our analysis of the readmissions policy is available from this page.