For the past two years, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Solent NHS Trust have been working towards merging. The process has involved staff, a wide range of community partners, and other stakeholders.
The merger has finally happened, forming the new, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was brought about following a review in 2022 of local community, mental health, and learning disability services led by NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was brought about following a review in 2022
Chief Executive of NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight, Maggie MacIsaac, said: "The launch of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare is a milestone in our ambition to improve services, remove unwarranted variation and to better join up care across Hampshire and Isle of Wight."
"Significant efforts by many people have helped us to reach this point, and we thank everyone involved for all that they are doing to improve health outcomes for our population now and in the future," MacIsaac added.
"It is now important that we use this opportunity to shift towards more proactive and preventative care, right in the heart of people’s communities, and the work of all of the teams in this trust will be pivotal towards achieving that aim," MacIsaac concluded.
Taking the best from all of the organisations involved provides a stronger foundation from which to deliver better, more joined up care for local people, wherever they live
While the Trust formally launched this week, members of staff across all four organisations have been working closely together for some time.
The executive leadership team is already in place and has been leading work to create the new Trust, including the development of a clinical operating model that describes how services will be organised.
Since August the Trust Boards have been meeting in common, carrying out business, and discussing key decisions together.
The Executive leadership team is already in place and has been leading work to create the new Trust
Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Ron Shields, said: "This is an exciting day for the NHS in Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the culmination of many years of hard work. Taking the best from all of the organisations involved provides a stronger foundation from which to deliver better, more joined up care for local people, wherever they live."
"We know that continuity is important, and as we set out on the first months of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, most people won’t see immediate changes to how they receive care. As our new organisation comes into being we are already focused on what comes next," Shields concluded.
"That is why we want to hear from local people about what we should be focusing on- what is most important to them and what improvements they want to see in the care they receive. This will directly influence the work we do and the changes we seek to make to help Hampshire and Isle of Wight residents lead their healthiest lives possible," Shields concluded.
For the past two years, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Solent NHS Trust have been working towards merging
The new Trust brings together community, mental health, and learning disability services previously provided by Isle of Wight NHS Trust, and the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services previously provided in Hampshire by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
Bringing these services together into one organisation enables the Trust to deliver benefits to patients including improving access to care, reducing duplication and resolving unnecessary differences in practice and outcomes in order to provide the best care for people living in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.