HEALTH chiefs from York District Hospital were in London today to discuss the implications of gaining foundation hospital status.

The York Health Services NHS Trust was awarded three stars in the latest Government performance ratings, giving it the option to gain more power and resources as part of the first wave of foundation hospitals.

The trust has already been awarded £1 million as part of the top-grade assessment, which is being used to improve services and facilities at the hospital.

A decision will be made next month whether or not to apply for foundation hospital status.

Trust chief executive Simon Pleydell was among delegates at a two-day briefing conference in London to find out more about the application process.

He said if the trust was happy to proceed, it would have to submit an outline application by the end of November.

He said: "All three-star trusts are being briefed on the details on the application process and being provided with further details on the processes surrounding foundation trust status.

"I've then got to enable a clear decision about the benefits and the issues surrounding an application. I want to be clear about the positive benefits for patient care."

Discussions will be held within the trust and with other health organisations in early November.

If the trust applies for foundation hospital status and is selected, it would continue to be funded by taxpayers - but would be independent from ministerial control.

The hospital would instead become a not-for-profit enterprise competing for patients but protected from takeover by conventional private sector firms.

It would be run by trusts on which doctors, patients and local authorities would be represented and have independence to set the levels of staff pay.

However, it would continue to be monitored by the Health Inspectorate and could lose its independent status if it did not keep up to scratch.

Subject to legislation, the first foundation hospitals will go live in April 2004. They will be drawn from the best performing NHS trusts, with subsequent waves annually.

Updated: 11:39 Tuesday, October 29, 2002