Foundation Trust

We are proud to be a NHS Foundation Trust.

Foundation Trusts are still part of the NHS, but unlike ordinary NHS trusts, they have thousands of members and a Council of Governors who form an integral part of the governance structure that exists in all NHS FTs.

SCAS call taker

NHS Foundation Trusts:

  • are free from direct central government control and are able to decide how to improve their services
  • retain any surpluses they generate to invest in new services, and can borrow money to support these investments
  • are accountable to their local communities; local people can become members and governors.

These freedoms mean that together we can shape our ambulance service around local needs and priorities.

Being a foundation trust also means that there are more opportunities for our patients and their families, staff and local residents to play a part in our future by becoming members.

We are accountable to our members through an elected and appointed Council of Governors. Being a member provides the opportunity to take part in Council of Governors elections, representing the views of members and ensuring the Trust is accountable to the local community.

We feel that, as an NHS Foundation Trust, we can play a much greater role in supporting the ongoing development and success of our local communities.

SCAS vehicles at hospital

Who runs the Trust

The Trust Board is responsible for providing strategic leadership to the Trust, ensuring it exercises its functions effectively, efficiently and economically. It monitors arrangements to maintain quality and safety, including managing risks

The Trust Board is led by the Trust Chair and the responsibility for day-to-day management of Trust business lies with the Chief Executive and Executive Directors.

Regulators

As a foundation trust we are directly accountable to Parliament for the services we provide.

However there are some regulators who ensure we can continue to provide those services in a safe and sustainable way.

Our main regulators are the Care Quality Commission and NHS Improvement.

Statutory declarations

We are required to make certain statutory declarations which must be publicly available. You can view these, along with various other documents, on the publications page

Become a Foundation Trust member

There are over 4,000 public members of the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and these are local people from all walks of life who elect the Council of Governors and help to shape our services.

Join now and you too can make a difference

We want to involve the whole community and build a membership that is representative of the population we serve.

To join, you must be aged 14 or over and live in (or have a connection with) Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire or Oxfordshire.

The data you supply will be used only to contact you about the Trust, membership or other related issues and will be stored in accordance with the current Data Protection Act and our own Privacy Notice.

Become a Foundation Trust governor

Our governors play an integral role in the running of our trust and represent you!

Each governor has a constituency and is committed to talking to local people to make sure your voices and opinions on the Trust are heard. The Trust’s Constitution sets out the principles of how the Council of Governors is governed.