19.12.14
Regulator gives the go-ahead to Chelsea-West Middlesex merger
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared the acquisition by Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust of West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust.
Both hospitals provide a wide range of NHS services to patients in north-west London, but the CMA does not believe the merger will lead to a material reduction in the quality of services for patients.
During its investigation, the CMA examined evidence provided by the hospitals and relevant third parties, including Monitor, clinical commissioning groups, NHS England specialised commissioning teams and other NHS hospitals.
Nelson Jung, CMA director of mergers group, said: “We have conducted an evidence-based assessment of the impact this proposed NHS hospital merger will have on patient choice and the quality of healthcare services.
“Overall, we found that there is no realistic prospect of this merger substantially lessening competition to the detriment of patients.”
The decision comes less than two months after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as “requires improvement”. This was a blow to the trust because prior to this it had been one of the most consistently high performing in the country.
But following an inspection in July, inspectors rated accident and emergency (A&E), medical care, surgery, children’s care, end of life care and outpatient services at the hospital as Requires Improvement. Critical care and maternity and family planning were rated as Good.
The CQC also found that A&E did not have the recommended levels of medical staff working there and that this service was ‘experiencing difficulties’ in meeting the extra demand.
Just weeks after this, the chief executive of the trust, Tony Bell, resigned. However, the trust could not comment on whether or not the CQC report was the reason Bell was stepping down.
After his decision in late November, Bell has temporarily handed the reins to Elizabeth McManus, who was previously chief nurse and director of quality, while the trust chooses a new chief executive.
NHE has asked both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust for a comment on the CMA’s decision, but at the time of publication had received no response.
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