Trust to set up wholly-owned subsidiary

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust Board has decided to establish a separate company, wholly owned by the Trust, to run its estates, facilities and procurement services.

The chief operating officer said transferring the services will enable the teams to ‘work together more efficiently, run their own budgets, make their own decisions and bid for other contracts’ while at the same time supporting the Trust to continue to provide high quality clinical services to communities.

Stacey Hunter, chief operating officer, explained: “This approach reflects the need to change how we manage our operations in order to thrive and be sustainable going forward, in line with the national picture across the NHS and the Trust’s drive for continual improvement in the quality of care and services we provide for our patients.

“The Trust as the parent organisation and sole shareholder will reserve control on key issues whilst also providing the company with delegated freedoms and flexibility to develop its services and its staff. Above all, we want to support our staff who provide the current services to be part of this new venture. Our staff are our greatest asset and we believe this model enables the company to develop its staff and culture whilst still sharing the Trust’s values, ethics and aspirations.

“The new subsidiary also gives us an excellent opportunity to discharge our role in the wider community in respect of providing additional employment, training and development for local people, as well as enabling us to be better placed to work with local companies so driving greater economic benefit across the patch. This supports the local authority’s ambition of making Bradford District a great place to live given the links between good employment and the health and well-being of the local population.”