Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group has announced plans to merge its two organisations and create a single NHS Trust, building on the success achieved since the Group was formed.
Two years ago, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust and United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust came together under the banner of Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group. While operating as a shared Group, the organisations remained separate statutory bodies.
Since the partnership began, significant improvements have been made across health services in Lincolnshire, including:
- Reductions in patient waiting lists.
- Increased use of virtual wards, enabling more patients to receive care at home while freeing up hospital beds for those who need them most.
- Delivery of more than 330,000 diagnostic tests through the Group's three Community Diagnostic Centres, with services continuing to expand to include elective orthopaedic clinics at Lincoln CDC and Rapid Access Angina Clinics.
- Enhancements to specialist services such as stroke and rheumatology care, helping more patients manage their conditions effectively at home.
Following these successes, Group leaders have concluded that formally merging into a single NHS Trust is the logical next step in delivering more integrated care for local communities.
The proposed merger aims to remove duplication in governance, improve digital integration across services, and simplify patient pathways where care currently crosses organisational boundaries. Leaders believe the move will create a more connected and efficient healthcare system for patients and staff alike.
Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group Chief Executive, Professor Karen Dunderdale, said:
"We have a once in a generation opportunity to create one organisation truly built around the needs of our diverse communities – to address the challenges we are facing now and transform how care is delivered for the future.
“By 2030, we want more of our patients to receive care in their homes, neighbourhoods and communities in line with the NHS 10-year plan – personalised to their needs and delivered seamlessly by one joined-up team.
“We want to create a modern health and care system where digital technology enables people to manage their own health. Where we shift from treating illness to preventing it, supporting people to stay well, for longer.”
The announcement comes as the NHS increasingly focuses on delivering more care closer to home, using digital innovation and preventative approaches to improve outcomes and reduce pressure on hospitals.
Professor Dunderdale stressed that the new organisation will build on foundations already laid through the Group model rather than starting from scratch.
If approved, the creation of a single NHS Trust would mark one of the most significant organisational changes in Lincolnshire's healthcare system in recent years, with the ambition of providing more seamless, community-focused care for generations to come.
Image credit: iStock
