New Birmingham hospital trust formed by merger

The merger by acquisition of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust is to go ahead on 1 April 2018.

The plans, which would see the enlarged organisation operate under the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust name, have been given the green light from the trusts’ respective Boards of Directors, with the decision cleared by both Councils of Governors. The merger by acquisition, proposed in September 2016, had been under consideration by the government’s Competitions and Markets Authority for several months before being cleared in August 2017.

The single trust organisation will have approximately 50,000 foundation trust members and together will employ more than 20,000 members of staff. It will be one of the largest trusts in England treating over 2.2 million patients each year, with more than 2,700 beds across its sites and an estimated annual turnover of £1.6 billion.

It is hoped the combined test will deliver more equitable patient access to better quality and integrated healthcare across Birmingham, Solihull and South Staffordshire, driving higher performance standards, patient benefits, pooling of talent and investment in clinical services.

The Rt Hon Jacqui Smith, chair of UHB and interim chair of HEFT, said: “The final approval to combine the two trusts is the result of a huge amount of preparation and planning to ensure the new organisation can provide the best possible healthcare to the population we serve.”

Dame Julie Moore, chief executive, UHB and interim chief executive at HEFT, said: “The combined expertise of the two trusts will benefit all of our patients and bring added benefits to the local health economy that could not be otherwise achieved.”