NORTHUMBERLAND’S healthcare trust has been charged with driving change throughout the NHS.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has become one of only four organisations nationwide given the green light to establish a foundation group.

The Northumbria Foundation Group has been created to help the trust share its knowledge, expertise and support with other NHS organisations across the country.

Four high-performing NHS foundation trusts have been accredited by NHS Improvement as foundation group leaders.

They will spearhead new ways of working, share expertise and best practice in a bid to improve quality and efficiency throughout the NHS.

Chief executive of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust David Evans said: “Our vision for Northumbria Foundation Group is very simple – it is about sharing our experiences and the knowledge we have gained, to collaborate with other organisations for the greater good of the NHS as a whole.

“The NHS is constantly changing, the needs of our patients are constantly changing and as medicine and technology advances, we must keep pace and create a healthcare system which switches our focus on prevention and keeping people well.

“We are very proud to play our part in embracing these national challenges which the NHS is collectively facing.”

The three other foundation groups are Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust.

The aim is to link organisations together through the foundation groups to improve clinical and financial viability, create better services for patietns and improve the quality of clinical services.

All four foundation group trusts are ‘acute care collaboration’ vanguards, part of the new care models programme led by NHS England to respond to the challenges outlined in the NHS Five Year Forward View.

Minister for Community Health and Care David Mowat said: “For the NHS to continue to improve care and benefit patients, it is vital that trusts can share best practice and learn from each other.

“The new foundation group leaders will not only drive up standards, but support the innovative new models of care programme that is delivering positive change across the NHS.”