LAASP (Liverpool Adult Acute and Specialist Providers) programme update
When we came together to form the LAASP (Liverpool Adult Acute and Specialist Providers) programme, the aim was to reduce clinical service fragmentation and improve patient care for the communities that we serve through closer collaboration and integration. Over the last 18 months we have worked together to explore how this may be best achieved.
The draft business case that was submitted included a range of options for members of University Hospitals of Liverpool (UHL) Group - Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals and Liverpool Heart and Chest - and The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust to come together, including expansion of the Group through to formal merger. The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust was not included in the business case submission after a decision taken by its Board of Directors not to proceed.
Following review of the submission, NHS England has asked us not to proceed with further development of the full business case, as it does not meet the threshold required to enter into a formal national assurance process.
What this means for each organisation
- University Hospitals of Liverpool (UHL) Group
Members of UHL Group - Liverpool Women's Hospital, Liverpool University Hospitals and Liverpool Heart and Chest - will continue to work together under the existing Group arrangement, with The Walton Centre and The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre remaining as standalone foundation trusts.
Work within the Group will continue, such as the restructuring of our Hospital Leadership Teams, the bringing together of corporate services and essential clinical integrations, such as cardiology, whilst remaining focused on the delivery of our financial recovery plan. Our shared leadership and integrated working will also enable us to continue to address the clinical safety risks at Liverpool Women's Hospital.
- The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust's focus is on improving cancer outcomes and delivering the very best care to people with cancer. It is more important than ever that we can prioritise this, together with our role in delivering the new National Cancer Plan. Our Board concluded this would be better served by continuing the significant progress already being driven with partners across Liverpool and the wider system through Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance, without the distraction of major organisational change.
“We will continue working closely with UHL Group and The Walton Centre to deliver our shared ambitions including research and innovation, digital transformation and harnessing the benefits of working at scale, and are committed to working with all our partners to deliver excellent cancer services, tackle health inequalities, be productive and provide value for money.”
- The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust
As the country's only standalone Trust for neurology and neurosurgery, The Walton Centre will continue its commitment to excellence in neuroscience. Our three-year strategy reflects the focus on quality, people, value and research which enhance patient outcomes, foster innovation and solidify our position as a leader in neuroscience. Working in collaboration with our partners across the city and beyond is crucial to this work and creating effective clinical pathways for patients and their families.
Together, as partners, we will continue to work collaboratively to maximise patient experience, care standards and operational performance across the Liverpool system. We remain committed to working together to tackle health inequalities and strengthen clinical pathways, service resilience, and performance delivery, recognising the significant interdependencies that exist between our services.
We will also continue working together to deliver our shared ambitions including research and innovation, digital transformation and harnessing the benefits of working at scale.
Regards,
Jan Ross, Chief Executive of The Walton Centre NHS FT
James Sumner, Chief Executive of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool (UHL) Group
Joan Spencer, Chief Executive of The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS FT