Pennine Acute Trust to be split

The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

The hospitals that make up the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (PAT) are to be split between two different NHS Foundation Trusts.

Two legal processes (transactions) are underway to reorganise PAT between Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust and its group of healthcare services called the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group, and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

The plan is for The Royal Oldham, Fairfield General in Bury and Rochdale Infirmary to formally become part of Salford Royal and the Northern Care Alliance, whilst North Manchester General Hospital will become part of Manchester University’s Trust.

The proposal is part of a longstanding plan to create a single hospital service for the city of Manchester and Trafford.

It is expected that the spilt of the trust will be completed by the end of March 2020, subject to rigorous due diligence, agreement of financial plans and approval of business cases.

The arrangement to formally reorganise Pennine Acute Trust is a complex legal process and requires formal approval at national level via NHS Improvement, and the Competition and Markets Authority.

Local NHS and council representatives have formed a board, which is overseeing the process and proposed changes in hospital ownership.

The board is independently chaired by Jon Rouse, Chief Officer, Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership.