Takeover of struggling NHS trust signals new era for health services

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust yesterday formally took over the troubled Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which has ceased to exist.

The Scarborough trust, which runs services serving the Scarborough, Bridlington, Whitby and Malton areas and employs 2,500 staff, has been beset by financial problems for a decade.

Health chiefs agreed it had no prospect of becoming a foundation trust as required by Ministers and instead the York trust has formally acquired it.

The single organisation stretching from Selby to Whitby will employ over 8,500 staff working at 10 hospitals and in the community.

It is understood the trust will continue to receive a top-up subsidy to cover the basic costs of running the Scarborough trust which sees vastly more patients in the summer than winter. Last year a total of £8m was pumped in under the arrangement.

Chief executive Patrick Crowley said: “Reaching the acquisition date is a momentous occasion as no two acute trusts 45 miles apart have ever merged – what we have achieved here is a first.”

“I’m looking forward to welcoming staff from Scarborough trust into our organisation and to hearing their ideas about how we can continue to provide the very best services for our patients.

“In many respects July 1 marks the beginning rather than the end of the process and it is now that much of the detailed work must be undertaken to integrate the two organisations and ensure we’re all working towards bringing the best out of the new trust and making sure we’re offering the very best services that our patients deserve.”

He added: “We are optimistic that becoming one organisation will enable us to meet future challenges and ensure the continuation of high quality, safe and sustainable services across North Yorkshire.”