19.05.15
Cornwall NHS trusts in merger talks
Two trusts in Cornwall are in merger discussions to become “one integrated NHS provider”.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the county's acute hospitals, and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which is in charge of mental health services, have announced they have started to look at ways to work together and save money.
A joint statement from the two trust chief executives said: “Today, we can announce that our two organisations have agreed to work together to explore whether we can become one integrated NHS provider.
“We both believe that integrating services will lead to higher quality, seamless care for patients and more effective use of public money.
“We are listening to people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly who want to see more joined up care, easier access to services and less bureaucracy in the NHS.
“It is still early days in our discussions and clearly we will want to consult further with clinical teams, partner organisations and the wider community to ensure we get this right for patients.
“Our Trust Boards will report and discuss the progress in June 2015.”
Earlier this month the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust halted its plans to obtain Foundation Trust status. The departure of several senior managers, a winter of high level alerts and a new £7m deficit meant the trust was unlikely to succeed.
(Image source: Tony Atkin)
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