Landmark partnership for Royal Free London Group

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust (NMUH) has announced that it has joined the Royal Free London (RFL) group as its clinical partner.

The decision proves NMUH board’s commitment to improving the care it delivers to its patients.

The RFL is one of four trusts across the NHS to be chosen to develop a group model enabling it to share services and resources more effectively across hospitals in order to improve the experience of patients and staff.

As a clinical partner, NMUH will work with RFL to ensure there are consistent approaches to designing and delivering care based on evidence and best practice - nationally and internationally.

Under the partnership David Sloman, RFL group chief executive, will become accountable officer at NMUH.

NMUH will continue to have its own separate board.

Dusty Amroliwala, NMUH chairman, said: “This partnership is the culmination of nearly two years of close working between the Royal Free London and North Middlesex. Doctors and nurses from across the two trusts have been sharing their expertise to help transform the standards of care that our patients and local communities will receive in the months and years ahead.

“On behalf of the board I would like to thank Libby for her work since joining the North Middlesex. She has been instrumental in getting us to this position and we look forward very much to working with her in her new role.”

Dominic Dodd, chairman of RFL, said: “This is an important milestone for the Royal Free London group and something we have been working towards for a number of years. By creating this partnership we will be able to learn from the good practice at both trusts and jointly share expertise and learning to provide consistent, excellent care for the population of north London.”

Steve Russell, executive regional managing director at NHS Improvement, said: “This is a significant step for the Royal Free’s group model. It is important that both organisations encourage patients, staff and partners across north London to engage openly and share in this next stage in the evolution of the group, to ensure that the benefits for patients continue to be the absolute priority for all those involved.”