Posted on Thursday 10th November 2011
Mike Little
Chairman, Miike Little
North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust is taking forward its acquisition process to make a prompt decision on a preferred Foundation Trust partner that would be in the best position to acquire the Trust and provide the best solution for the patients of north Cumbria both clinically and financially.
The Trust Board, which is made up of Executive and Non-Executive Directors (they are lay members who represent the community) yesterday considered evidence submitted in the acquisition process.
Chairman Mike Little, said: “The Board was very much assured, as a stakeholder in this acquisition process, that the evaluation that has been carried out so far has been high-quality, robust and has involved our hospital clinicians, GPs, patients, key stakeholders and members of our community.
“It is our responsibility as a Trust Board to make sure that this acquisition will deliver a clinically sound and solvent organisation in the future and that it will be a long term solution to deliver high-quality clinical care for our patients and provide the best value for money for our taxpayers.
“We are now taking the process forward by testing the financial viability of the proposals and confirming the amount of any ongoing funding support that will be needed. We plan to make a final decision on a preferred bidder in January 2012.”
There are two interested Foundation Trusts involved in the process – Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the Alliance, a partnership between Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle NHS Foundation Trust.