Hospitals merger on the cards
CHIEFS AT NHS TRUSTS LOOK INTO POTENTIAL ALLIANCE
Reporter A MERGER could be on the cards for two North East NHS trusts after they announced their desire to become “one organisation in the future”.
Almost two years ago, South Tyneside and Sunderland hospital trusts unveiled plans that would see the integration of many health services between the two areas in a bid to save cash.
And on Thursday the boards of both trusts announced the next steps with “a mutual desire to begin exploring the possibility of becoming one organisation in the future”.
The trusts have already been working together since March 2016 and signed a formal partnership agreement in April 2016.
A single executive management team has been in place for both since November 2016, led by chief executive officer Ken Bremner who was appointed as CEO across both trusts in September 2016.
Whilst both organisations continue to operate as statutory NHS Foundation Trusts, each with its own board of directors, a group board has also been operating since May 2016.
Now a statement from the two has said: “Leaders now share the unanimous view that it is the right time to start thinking about what a possible merger of both organisations might look like and, importantly, what further benefits this could bring for both patients and staff in future.”
They have signalled their intentions to begin a “detailed strategic business planning process” on a potential merger looking ahead to the next three to five years.
Since the alliance was announced, a consultation has been held into changes of three key services at South Tyneside Hospital. The consultation closed on October 15.
The three services included in the public consultation were: urgent and emergency paediatrics, stroke services and maternity and gynaecology. The Save South Tyneside Hospital campaign group, set up to oppose the changes, has been fundraising for a judicial review into the proposals, which they say would leave South Tyneside’s residents with “essentially a rehabilitation hospital”.
Mr Bremner said: “We have made great strides since coming together to form the South Tyneside and Sunderland Healthcare Group with many clear benefits for our patients.
“We know, however, that there is still much more to do and this starts with exploring whether we should cement the relationship between our two trusts for the long term.
“It is important that our patients, staff and stakeholders have a very clear message about what we envisage for the future and both Boards felt the timing was right to share this ambition now so that we can begin to openly discuss what a possible merger between our two organisations might mean.
“The strengths of working together across a greater geography are already abundantly clear and our aim is to make it as easy as possible for our teams to work effectively together without unnecessary organisational boundaries.”