TONY Blair was today set to increase the pressure on York Hospital to bid for controversial "foundation" status.
In his monthly Downing Street press conference, the Prime Minister was expected to urge every top performing hospital to apply to become a super trust before the next General Election.
York Hospital, which has scored top marks in Government performance tables for the past two years, has so far declined to lodge a bid.
Managers turned down the first invitation to concentrate on other priorities, but did not rule out entering the race at a later stage.
Mr Blair's remarks today will turn up the heat on the hospital to join the "second wave" of applications, which is due to open later this year.
He was also set to encourage Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust to make a bid to become a foundation hospital, which would have greater freedom from Whitehall control. The hospital was upgraded from two to three stars when the latest performance tables were published earlier this month.
Updated: 10:57 Wednesday, July 30, 2003
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