Next step of the journey for Bristol NHS Group

Partners North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) are set to pursue becoming a single organisation.

Following the successful formation of the Bristol NHS Group by NBT and UHBW in April 2025, the two organisations have set out an intent to pursue a merger of the two Trusts.

The Bristol NHS Group partners, who together employ over 28,000 healthcare professionals across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, will explore how operating as a single legal entity might help them to build on the positive progress of their Joint Clinical Strategy published in March 2024.

By breaking down the barriers that working together as two separate organisations has presented, clinical teams are already exploring how to operate as single managed services across the two Trusts. NBT and UHBW hope to unlock even greater benefits for their ‘Four Ps’ – patients, people, population and the public purse.

A significant milestone in the journey of the Group in driving efficiency and removing duplication is the move to a single Board for both organisations – a process currently underway.

Significant transformation is planned for the NHS as set out by the Government in the 10-Year Health Plan for England. The Bristol NHS Group will play its part in delivering the bold, ambitious and necessary new course for the NHS to ensure that the nation’s health service will be there for all who need it for generations to come.

Maria Kane, Bristol NHS Group Chief Executive said: “Our Boards’ decision to pursue a future merger between our two high-performing Trusts is a natural next step for our Group and an exciting development for the future of healthcare in BNSSG and the wider region.

This move is in direct response to strong clinical feedback, operational lessons learned, and the priorities set out in the Government's 10-Year Plan for the NHS.

We believe we can go further, faster, in delivering these benefits by becoming a single organisation.”

Ingrid Barker, Group Chair said: “Our aim as a Group is to deliver even better care by reducing duplication, investing in frontline services, and strengthening integration across our hospitals and communities. We are making great progress but there are still barriers to overcome and complexities to work around.

By working together as one team we firmly believe we will be able to do more than ever for the people and communities we serve.”