This statement is issued on behalf of Professor Steve West, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West of England and chair of the project team.
North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (UH Bristol) have jointly approved a project team to develop a strategy and make recommendations for how hospitals across the city will deliver the Bristol Health Services Plan.
The project team will also recommend the organisational management structure required to deliver these hospital services. The recommendation may be to bring together both Trusts into a single organisation or it may be to remain as separate organisations, working in ever closer partnership.
Professor Steve West, Vice Chancellor of the University of the West of England, is chairing the project and Andrea Young (from NHS South of England) is the Project Director.
The project team also includes:
Peter Rilett, chair, NBT
Ruth Brunt, chief executive, NBT
John Savage, chair, UH Bristol
Robert Woolley, chief executive, UH Bristol
Stephen Harrison, chair, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust Cluster
Deborah Evans, chief executive, NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust Cluster
Dr Stephen Illingworth, chair, South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group
The strategy and recommendations will be presented to both Trusts boards at their meetings at the end of July 2012.
Professor West, the project chair, said: “This project is a critical next step in the Trusts’ working partnership to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare for the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and further afield. The strategy will ensure that both organisations are best placed to meet the future national and local demands on the NHS.”
In the meantime, it is business as usual for both Trusts as they continue to work in partnership, through their partnership agreement, and NBT continues with its application to become a Foundation Trust and aiming to achieve this in December 2012.