Updates to Monitor's 'Risk assessment framework'

The proposed changes described in this document only apply to NHS foundation trusts.

Here are some of the important areas Monitor is consulting on:

• introducing access measures for mental health services as proxies of governance
• introducing access and outcome measures for high and medium secure services as proxies of governance
• additional triggers for investigating financial risk at a provider to help ensure early identification and intervention for continuity of services risks

Monitor also intends to:

• change the name of ‘quality governance’ indicators to ‘organisational health’ indicators, and make their use clearer
• update terminology to take into account changes relating to new policies, such as the Care Quality Commission’s inspections make other clarifications

After considering the feedback Monitor will update and publish a revised ‘Risk assessment framework’ in March 2015. The changes will take effect from 1 April 2015.

If the updates require changes to the Annual planning review templates and the quarterly reporting templates Monitor will issue an update to each of these as appropriate.