NHS London approves merger of Barts and the London, Newham and Whipps Cross trusts
The business case for the merger of three London NHS trusts – Barts and the London, Newham university hospital and Whipps Cross university hospital – has been approved by the NHS London board.
The approval follows an agreement to proceed with a merger by each of the three trust boards, as well as a confirmation of support from inner north-east London and outer north-east London clusters last week.
A spokeswoman for merger project said: "The merger has been talked about since 2009, but gathered momentum this March when we had a strategic outline case published."
According to the three trusts, the merger into a single organisation with the proposed name of Barts Health, will provide better standards of care for patients.
They have claimed that current services will be more sustainable, both financially and clinically, patients will get faster access to specialists services and nearly home, and the new trust will be able to understand local health needs better.
The next step will be for the strategic health authority to pass on its recommendation to the Department of Health transaction board, which will consider the case early next year.
The target date for the merger is 1 April 2012.
NHS London approves merger of Barts and the London (pictured), Newham and Whipps Cross trusts. Photograph: Alamy
The approval follows an agreement to proceed with a merger by each of the three trust boards, as well as a confirmation of support from inner north-east London and outer north-east London clusters last week.
A spokeswoman for merger project said: "The merger has been talked about since 2009, but gathered momentum this March when we had a strategic outline case published."
According to the three trusts, the merger into a single organisation with the proposed name of Barts Health, will provide better standards of care for patients.
They have claimed that current services will be more sustainable, both financially and clinically, patients will get faster access to specialists services and nearly home, and the new trust will be able to understand local health needs better.
The next step will be for the strategic health authority to pass on its recommendation to the Department of Health transaction board, which will consider the case early next year.
The target date for the merger is 1 April 2012.