Health boards hope merger bid will get Hart’s go-ahead

Apr 21 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail

TWO North Wales NHS trusts plan to go ahead with a merger, further reducing bureaucracy in the NHS.

The boards of both North East Wales and Conwy and Denbighshire NHS trusts have agreed the move, following consultation with staff, staff representatives and the local Community Health Councils.

They said a merger would be in the best interests of the running and development of health services across the four counties they serve.

Health Minister Edwina Hart will now decide whether a merger should proceed.

Recommendations for the future of Wales’ 22 local health boards, which will see the four LHBs in the region become one, suggest the merger will go ahead.

Michael Williams, chairman of North East Wales NHS Trust, said: “This is a real opportunity to coordinate and improve health care across the two trusts and should provide further development opportunities for our staff.”

Alun Lewis, chairman of the Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust, added: “I sincerely hope the minister will support our recommendation to merge our two trusts.

“A merged trust will provide a stronger and more influential base from which to develop and improve patient services in the future.”

In another development, the chief executive of Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust will oversee the newly merged Hywel Dda NHS Trust.

Martin Turner, pictured, has been appointed the interim chief executive of the trust, which was created at the beginning of the month by the mergers of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Derwen and Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS trusts.

A statement issued by Hywel Dda NHS Trust said Mr Turner will lead the initial restructuring process of the new trust and apply “his considerable knowledge in amalgamating healthcare organisations”.

He previously oversaw the merger of three NHS trusts to form the Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust, in 1999.

Mr Turner said: “I am looking forward to the considerable challenge of creating a new trust in West Wales.”

Lynette George, Hywel Dda NHS Trust’s interim chair, added: “Martin has a wealth of practical experience and expertise in the trust reconfiguration processes, which will be extremely valuable in the months ahead.”

Mr Turner’s deputy Andrew Cottom will take over as acting chief executive of Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust during the secondment.