LANCASHIRE Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust chiefs will find out today

(Thursday) if their bid for foundation status has been successful.

The trust applied in July for the status that would see it set free from

central government control and given extra cash to invest in services.

Chief executive Tony Curtis said if the application went through the

trust would gain an extra A316million over the next five years, on top

of the A3240million it already receives each year.

He said the money could be spent on increasing nursing numbers or

reducing waiting lists.

The criteria for becoming a foundation hospital is gaining a maximum

three stars, awarded by the Department of Health, for standards in the

past two consecutive years.

As part of the scheme the trust, which runs Royal Preston and Chorley

and South Ribble hospitals, was required to canvass residents and

patients to become members of the authority.

The trust now has 4,000 members and in February a governing council, of

37 including 20 members of the public, was elected.

Mr Curtis(right) said: "I would say there are no indications that I have

seen so far that we would be unsuccessful.

"We are hopeful of getting the nod of approval, but we will have to wait

and see on the day."

There are already 25 foundation hospitals in England, and ten other

trusts are also hoping to join the elite today.

"As an organisation we believe this is the way forward, it would bring

more flexibility and accountability to the local community.

The governing council will give feedback on the way the services are

delivered and how they should be provided in the future.

"If we are successful we will sit down and identify what the priorities

are, it maybe raising nursing numbers or reducing waiting lists."

Were the application to be unsuccessful, he said, the trust would look

at alternative means are retaining patient and residents involvement in

running services.