Withdrawn: NHS foundation trust quality reports
This guidance has been withdrawn and is no longer in force.
NHS foundation trusts were previously required to prepare a quality report and include it in their annual report. This is no longer the case. Current requirements for NHS foundation trusts’ annual reports can be found in the NHS foundation trust annual reporting manual (FT ARM).
NHS foundation trusts were also previously required to commission external assurance on aspects of their quality report in a format prescribed by NHS England (formerly NHS Improvement / Monitor). This is no longer the case. Previous guidance is retained on this page in case it is helpful for forming a basis of a local engagement between a provider and its auditor; this is a matter for local discretion and contracting.
Quality accounts requirements continue to apply under separate arrangements.
- WITHDRAWN: Detailed requirements for quality reports 2019/20 – References to quality accounts requirements, including additional in-year considerations, are likely to now be out of date. Please refer to current guidance on quality accounts. This document is retained here at present in case it assists with understanding the quality accounts regulations. The additional content prescribed for quality reports is no longer required but may be included in a quality account at a provider’s discretion.
- WITHDRAWN: Detailed requirements for external assurance for quality reports 2019/20 – This documented is retained here in case it is helpful for forming a basis of a local engagement between a provider and its auditor; this is a matter for local discretion and contracting.
Application of breach allocation guidance to reporting against 62 day cancer indicator in quality reports 2018/19
Updated guidance was issued in 2016 how to deal with cancer waiting time breaches where a patient transfers between trusts, but there have been delays in implementing this in national reporting systems. Up to the end of March 2019, official performance statistics will continue to be based on the 50:50 allocation rules which have been in place for several years. From April 2019 official performance will be based on the revised rules, based on determining responsibility at day 38. While the original guidance encouraged providers to develop their own systems for breach allocation information, there has been a consistent approach in national reporting.
Therefore we expect that the data used in preparing the cancer waiting time indicator(s) in the 2018/19 quality reports will be based, by default, on the long-standing arrangements for 50:50 breach allocation. In 2018/19 we do not expect auditors to raise concerns where reporting does not reflect the updated breach allocation guidance. However if a Trust has put its own processes in place locally to implement the new guidance consistently in 2018/19 and wishes to report on this basis this is also acceptable. If this is the case it must be clearly stated alongside presentation of the indicator in the quality report, and the auditor can perform assurance work on the indicator on this basis.