To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in what capacity NHS Improvement gave advice to the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust between June 2019 and September 2019 on the appropriateness of the Trust (a) discussing the possibility of merging services and provision between the Trust and the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) the potential for the East Lancashire Trust's Chief Executive, Kevin McGee, to operate as the permanent Chief Executive of both trusts.
Answered on
8 October 2019
The Chair at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Chair at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust sought the views of NHS England and NHS Improvement on the possibility of merging services and provision between the two Trusts.
Both Trusts were able to provide assurances that their proposals would bring benefits, to both organisations, and improve the care of patient populations in Blackpool and East Lancashire. On this basis NHS England and NHS Improvement were able to respond that they had no objections to the proposal. Final approvals will be needed from within their own organisations.
NHS England and NHS Improvement has had no direct engagement with hon. Members whose constituencies fall within the area served by the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on their discussions and advice to the Trust between June 2019 and September 2019.
The appointment of a Chief Executive in an NHS foundation trust is the responsibility of the trust’s non-executive directors, including the chair, with approval from the Trust’s council of governors.