19.08.14
South Warwickshire trust to ‘collaborate’ with George Eliot
South Warwickshire Foundation Trust has agreed to work on a “number of projects” to help support the troubled George Eliot Hospital Trust (GEH).
Back in December 2013, South Warwickshire had been shortlisted to potentially take control of GEH. However, in March this year, the NHS Trust Development Authority decided that a takeover of the trust was no longer an appropriate option, following major improvements in clinical performance.
But according to South Warwickshire’s July board papers, “despite the abandonment of the procurement exercise the team were clear that they still face significant clinical and financial sustainability challenges”.
They add: “Whilst the GEH team would be able to implement some of our proposals without our help, they recognised that there are a number where we are the only organisation which could help them.”
In particular, the trust [South Warwickshire] has agreed to collaborate on a number of projects with GEH. “In each case we will ensure that there is some benefit to the trust in undertaking the work,” the papers reveal. One of the areas in which the trusts have agreed to collaborate is in their MRI services, where these is a possibility of sharing the resource.
A spokeswoman for GEH added that discussions are underway with regard to working collaboratively with South Warwickshire on a number of projects.
(Image: c. Joe Giddens)
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