Foundation Trusts

The Royal Marsden was one of the first wave of hospitals in the UK to be awarded NHS Foundation Trust status.

Foundation Trusts are a new type of hospital which are independent from the Department of Health and run on a not for profit basis. Our Foundation Trust status allows people living near the hospital, patients, carers and staff to take an active role in shaping The Royal Marsden’s future.

Foundation Trusts are organised and governed in a different way to other NHS Trusts. They have the freedom to decide how to organise their services to best meet local needs. They are accountable to their local community, patients and staff, who all have the right to become members of the Trust. Finally, they are regulated by Monitor, an independent body rather than the Department of Health.

The Royal Marsden is still an NHS hospital and provides high quality cancer care free and not on ability to pay. Our new status, however, allows us the freedom to make things happen more quickly and effectively than before. Significant progress has been made on our five-year strategy, with two out of five new theatres completed and the new radiotherapy suite in Sutton nearing completion.