Dr Steve Ryan on proposed NHS trust merger

Dr Steve Ryan pic: Barts and the London NHS Trust

The director of a major east London hospital group has claimed that proposels for the country’s largest NHS trust will lead to improvements in patient care.

Tower Hamlets hospitals, including the Royal London, Mile End and the London Chest Hospital, are among those progressing with plans to form what would be the country’s largest NHS trust.

Barts and the London NHS trust, which includes the three hospitals as well as the City’s historic St Bartholemew’s, is part of an upcoming merger with other East London NHS trusts Whipps Cross and Newham.

A Full Business Case for the merger is due to be published by the end of the month and will need to be approved by NHS London before being submitted to the Department of Health in January 2012.

As the Health and Social Care Bill makes its way through the Lords committee stages, the merger promises back-office savings of £26m and frontline efficiency savings of £120m.

But Barts and the London Medical director, Dr Steve Ryan, claims that improving the quality of care is the driving force behind the proposal.

 

By Alex Bishop

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