We are working with Somerset FT to bring our two trusts together to create a new, single organisation which will be responsible for running Yeovil Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital, community hospitals and services, mental health services and a number of GP practices.

Our plan is that this new organisation, which will be the second largest NHS trust in the south west, will be formally created in April 2023.

By joining together we will we will be able provide better mental and physical health services for the population we serve, helping people to enjoy healthier lives with improved access to the specialist care and treatment they need, when they need it.

Some of the aims of our merger are to:

  • Develop health and care services that meet the changing needs of our population.
  • Provide better care for the population with everyone enjoying access to the same high quality care and support no matter where they live in the county. 
  • Build a more resilient, well supported workforce which can provide the care they aspire to.
  • Health and care services that work together more effectively to proactively look after the health and wellbeing of the whole person and help them stay well.
  • Make best use of our financial resources to deliver the most benefit for the population.

You can read more about our objectives and the benefits of the merger here

Progress so far

We are currently preparing our full business case for submission to the regulators of, NHS England and Improvement. This document will set out how we intend to bring our two trusts together and how this will deliver benefits for our patients, our combined workforce, the local health and care system, and the population of Somerset and beyond.

As we work towards the formal establishment of the single trust, we have already started to put some changes in place, including:

  • A single executive management team for both trusts. To meet the team, click here
  • Agreeing a name for our new organisation. Hundreds of colleagues from both trusts helped us choose the name for our organisation, with the boards of both trusts formally agreeing on ‘Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’ (buildings such as our acute and community hospitals will still be known by the names they are now).

Colleagues from some of our clinical services are also working together to make the care they provide more accessible and resilient.

Tell us what you think about our plans

By bringing our trusts together we can improve the way NHS services in Somerset work for you, your family and your local community.

As we continue to develop our strategic business case, you can help us focus on the things that are most important to you by sharing your thoughts via a simple, short survey. It will only take a few minutes to complete and we would be very grateful for your response. Your feedback will be anonymous.

To complete the survey click Merger Survey