Kent and Medway health services merge in historic NHS move

Summarised from KentLive's report · Updated 9 Oct, 11:31 · Archive

Medway Community Healthcare has transferred into Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, creating a single provider of over 100 services.

Medway Community Healthcare has formally transferred into Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, creating a single community health provider across Kent and Medway. The merger, which followed more than two years of planning and decisions made earlier this year, integrates over 100 services delivered by 6,500 health professionals. It is only the second time in history an NHS trust has integrated with a community interest company.

The unification is intended to reduce patient transfers between services and accelerate treatment processing. Services will continue operating from existing locations with the same teams, and patients should access care in the same way as before. Chief executive Mairead McCormick said the move marks 'an important moment for community health services across Kent and Medway' and that the trust welcomes over 1,250 new colleagues. The NHS states the merger creates a stronger foundation for neighbourhood health by enabling better coordination with GPs, mental health services, local authorities and community organisations, positioning residents to benefit from more unified, proactive and preventative care closer to home.

Read the report

• History made as Kent and Medway health services merge - what it means for patientsIt is only the second time such a merger has taken placeKentLive · 9 Oct, 10:37

In this story: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust · Medway Community Healthcare · Mairead McCormick · Kent · Medway

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem