It aims to slash wait times and deliver better care to 1.5 million people
The chief executive of both the North Bristol NHS Trust and the UHBW NHS Foundation Trust, Maria Kane, (inset) and the Bristol Royal Infirmary(Image: Bristol Post)
Two Bristol NHS trusts said they are making “great progress” on an “exciting” agreement to merge. North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have agreed to pursue a merger to become a single organisation.
The partnership, first proposed in December 2023, is designed to address common challenges, strengthen collaboration and improve patient outcomes for over 1.5 million people across Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and beyond.
However, bosses have cautioned that there are still “barriers to overcome and complexities to work around” as they work towards becoming one organisation. It said a “significant milestone” would see the move to a single board for both organisations – a process that is currently underway.
Clinical teams are already exploring how to operate with single managed services across the two trusts. The Bristol NHS Group partners together employ over 28,000 healthcare professionals across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
North Bristol currently runs sites including Southmead Hospital, while UHBW runs the BRI, St Michael’s, Bristol Children’s Hospital, Weston Hospital and more. Maria Kane, Bristol NHS Group chief executive, said: “Our Boards’ decision to pursue a future merger between our two high-performing Trusts is a natural next step for our group and an exciting development for the future of healthcare in BNSSG and the wider region.
“This move is in direct response to strong clinical feedback, operational lessons learned, and the priorities set out in the Government’s 10-Year Plan for the NHS.
“We believe we can go further, faster, in delivering these benefits by becoming a single organisation.”
Ingrid Barker, group chair said: “Our aim as a group is to deliver even better care by reducing duplication, investing in frontline services, and strengthening integration across our hospitals and communities.
“We are making great progress but there are still barriers to overcome and complexities to work around.
“By working together as one team we firmly believe we will be able to do more than ever for the people and communities we serve.”