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As ten more foundation hospitals were approved last week, social services directors warned that more safeguards were needed to prevent them from becoming "rogue partners", writes Craig Kenny.

Andrew Cozens, president of the Association of Directors of Social Services, was concerned Foundation Hospitals’ greater freedoms - including the right to “chase business” - might lead them to develop “mutant social care”.

“We are worried that foundation hospitals would have the capacity to develop their own variants on social care – like step down facilities or extra care – without regard to the wider framework of services,” he said.

“We were also keen that they should not be able to escape from child protection. The major emphasis has been on primary care trusts and their remit as commissioners, but we need to ensure that all health organisations have a duty to co-operate in relation to children.”

Cozens said he hoped that amendments to the Children Bill and a new regulator for foundation hospitals would be able to provide these safeguards. The health think-tank the King’s Fund is concerned that care of people with chronic diseases might be jeopardised by Foundation Trusts.

“There is a danger that the new system of paying hospitals, together with their new foundation status, could work against efforts to reduce avoidable hospitalisation,” said chief executive Niall Dickson.