Will merger of two Northeast trusts bring improvements?
The boards of South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust and City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation have said they intend to become one organisation.
A draft strategic case on the merger has been submitted to NHS Improvement, which oversees NHS foundation trusts, for approval.
Feedback from NHS Improvement on the draft strategic case is expected in the summer. Following this, trust leaders will consult with staff, patients, trust governors and the public to help form a full business case for the joining of the two trusts which they expect to submit by the end of 2018.
Further information
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS: South Tyneside and Sunderland Healthcare Group confirms intention for trusts to become one organisation in future