Ten more NHS trusts have been awarded foundation status by the government's independent regulator.

The high-performing trusts will now have significant freedoms from Whitehall control and will be able to borrow money privately from banks for investment under controversial legislation introduced last year.

The second wave of foundation hospitals is dominated by large university teaching hospitals in big cities, which ministers hope will become centres of excellence for care and staff training.

Nuffield Orthopaedic centre, however, was denied foundation status.