THE trusts which run Colchester and Ipswich hospitals look set to merge, saving £33 million a year.

Documents released today show bosses behind Colchester General Hospital and Ipswich Hospital are considering three options of running the two trust following their partnership, which was agreed in 2016.

These are:

  • To merge the two hospital trusts and all clinical services
  • To merge the two hospital trusts but only integrate some services
  • One trust acquiring the other

An option of no change is also being considered, despite it bringing no financial benefits.

It comes after the trusts were previously at pains to point out there was no merger between the two.

Despite the proposed merger or acquisition, accident and emergency, maternity and acute medical services will remain at both sites.

However, the document shows paediatric services could be moved to one site under the plans.

Will Quince, Colchester MP, said the important thing was A&E, maternity and acute departments would be staying at each site.

He said: “I’m relatively positive about it.

“What we have come to realise is Colchester Hospital on its own is not sustainable.

“If Colchester alongside Ipswich can develop a trust between them, whether that’s a partnership as it is now, or through joint governance, it should be explored.

“They are already sharing a chief executive.

“All of these options need to be on the table and we should have this debate.

“It makes sense to build on the strengths in both hospitals. People have said to me ‘if it means I have got to go to Ipswich but I get to see the best consultant in the region I would rather drive or get a bus or taxi and go 20 miles up the road.

“Our hospital has been in special measures for three years now. It’s important we listen to Nick Hulme, who knows what he is doing.

“He has taken Ipswich and turned it around and we have to put some trust in him.

“As long as the whole thing is based around patient outcomes then I’m fully behind it.”

Clinicians and managers have been working together for the past year to come up with a number of scenarios for the future.

These final options were put forward to the two boards to consider at the end of January to save money and improve patient care.

A decision on the final choice is expected in the summer after a business case has been made and approved.

No details have yet been given on the changes this could mean for staff at both sites. But the document states staff would be under one rota for the two hospitals.

The trusts have said they will be considering staff changes over the next few months.

Nick Hulme, chief executive of both trusts, said: “The two trusts are having ongoing discussions about what long term partnership means and how we can work together.

“We are doing this by having important conversations with our clinicians, commissioners and partners, listening to their views.

“Now we will expand this conversation to patients and patient groups, and a wider group of stakeholders, as well as continuing to talk to doctors, nurses and other staff about these ideas.

“We want to explain our ideas and capture everyone’s thoughts to help us identify the best way of caring for our patients into the future.”

By completely merging the two hospitals, it could save the hospital £33 million a year by the third year.

By part merging, the two trusts would save up to £26 million. An “acquisition” would again save £33 million a year.

David White, chairman of both trust boards, said:“We need to show how the trusts working together more closely could benefit the patients of both organisations.

“This could happen through sharing some resources like staff, equipment or space.

“We are keen to exchange best practice in caring for our patients and for both organisations to get the best of what the other can offer.”

The trusts agreed a partnership after Colchester’s hospital was rated “inadequate” by the Care Quality Commission in January 2016.