The Private Finance Initiative scheme at the Trust is a 38-year deal with Healthcare Support (Newcastle) Ltd, a special purpose vehicle formed in 2005 involving the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Equion and Laing O'Rourke, Interserve and Innisfree Ltd.[3] In 2014, there was a dispute between the Trust and Laing O'Rourke over two clinical office buildings.

[6] At the end of March 2017, the trust was confirmed as one of four additional NHS Global Digital Exemplars; joining the twelve announced in September 2016.

[12] The trust was one of the beneficiaries of Boris Johnson's announcement of capital funding for the NHS in August 2019, with an allocation of £41,7 million for improving paediatric cardiac services.

[13] In 2020 the trust managed the NHS Nightingale Hospital North East at the Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September 2015 it was reported that the trust was facing a staffing crisis because its plans to recruit more Filipino nurses were frustrated by the points-based immigration system.

[16] The dismissals were stopped by the Trust's chair, Kingsley Smith, and non-executive director Bryan Dodson, and after a subsequent 20 minute hearing the two consultants were advised that they could keep their jobs.

This report led to a two-day disciplinary hearing, which found "allegations relating to inappropriate behaviour, use of resources and a range of governance issues, which were proven."