On Wednesday 12th August, Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group announced its intention to merge its two organisations and create a new, single NHS Trust, building on the success of its Group model.
Two years ago, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust and United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust came together as Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group. This saw them remain as two separate statutory organisations.
Since coming together as a Group, good progress has been made to improve services for the people of Lincolnshire:
- Waiting lists have reduced.
- More patients are being seen through the virtual ward, freeing up beds for those who need them most.
- More than 330,000 diagnostic tests have been delivered in the Group’s three Community Diagnostic Centres and the range of services offered through these is expanding including elective orthopaedic clinics at Lincoln CDC and our Rapid Access Angina Clinics.
- We have improved services such as stroke and rheumatology, helping patients manage their condition at home better.
Following the success of this arrangement, the Group has now decided to formally merge and become a single organisation. Through the creation of a new, single NHS Trust, duplication in governance will be removed, joined-up digital systems will be created, and unnecessary complexity in patient pathways will be resolved where care crosses organisational boundaries.
Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group Chief Executive, Professor Karen Dunderdale, said: “We have a once in a generation opportunity to create one organisation truly built around the needs of our diverse communities – to address the challenges we are facing now and transform how care is delivered for the future.
“By 2030, we want more of our patients to receive care in their homes, neighbourhoods and communities in line with the NHS 10-year plan – personalised to their needs and delivered seamlessly by one joined-up team.
“We want to create a modern health and care system where digital technology enables people to manage their own health. Where we shift from treating illness to preventing it, supporting people to stay well, for longer.”
This vision is not starting from scratch as the Group arrangement has already delivered strong progress.
Professor Dunderdale added: “We know we need to go further and faster to deliver the ambitious change that our patients, residents and staff deserve. Our decision to merge is the next natural step for our Group and is a really exciting opportunity to improve the way care is delivered for generations to come. We’ll do this together by listening to our patients and residents, our staff and our stakeholders.”
Hamish Falconer, MP for Lincoln and Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations and European Relations, said: “Having seen first-hand the commitment and innovation of NHS colleagues in Lincolnshire, I welcome the ambition to bring services together into a single organisation. Simplifying the way organisations work together can help reduce bureaucracy, strengthen collaboration and create more opportunities to develop services around the needs of patients. By enabling staff to focus more on delivering joined-up care, this change has the potential to improve the experience of patients, supporting our local NHS to deliver the ambitions set out in the Government’s NHS 10-year plan.”
Richard Tice, MP for Boston and Skegness, said: “Bringing the two organisations together into a single NHS organisation is an important opportunity to simplify the way services are delivered for local people. By reducing unnecessary bureaucracy and removing organisational barriers, more time and effort can be focused on what matters most, providing high-quality care for patients. Working as one organisation should also make it easier to introduce new services, improve the way teams work together and ensure investment is directed where it will have the greatest benefit for communities across Lincolnshire.”
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