Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when planning began for increased collaboration between Barts Health and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trusts.

National Health Service trusts or foundation trusts undertaking a merger go through appropriate due process, which includes assurance from NHS England that the transaction provides material improvements in performance and real patient benefits before Secretary of State approval.

We are not aware of any proposed merger between Barts Health and Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. In 2021, the two trusts began to engage local stakeholders about developing deeper collaboration. They are now working closely together as part of an acute provider collaborative within the integrated care system of NHS NorthEast London. The trusts remain separate statutory bodies accountable to NHS England and regulated by the Care Quality Commission.