Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Last updated

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Type NHS foundation trust
Established1 April 2020 (2020-04-01)
HeadquartersYeovil Hospital, Higher Kingston, Yeovil, BA21 4AT
Hospitals
ChairColin Drummond
Chief executivePeter Lewis
Staff12,444 WTE (2023-24) [1]
Website www.somersetft.nhs.uk OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is a NHS foundation trust providing services for NHS England in Somerset, England. It manages a number of hospitals providing mental, community and acute hospital care across the whole county. [2]

Contents

In April 2023, the trust merged with Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to form a single trust covering the whole county.

History

The trust was formed from the merger of Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust on 1 April 2020. [3] [4] [5]

In September 2021 it opened a new diagnostic centre on the outskirts of Taunton near the M5, operating in partnership with Rutherford Health. This will provide CT scans, magnetic resonance imaging, X-rays, ultrasound and other imaging services. The trust pay a tariff price for activity and is reimbursed for the use of its staff. [6] Rutherford Health went into liquidation in June 2022 and a new contract was made with Alliance Medical. [7]

In November 2020 it was reported to be planning a merger with Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which would create England’s first provider of primary, acute, community and mental health care services. [8] The merger took place on 1 April 2023. [9]

On 13 May 2025, it was announced by the Trust that the special care baby unit and inpatient maternity services at Yeovil Hospital would be suspended for 6 months after a warning notice was issued by the CQC. [10] [11] As of 19 May 2025, expectant mothers will have to travel to either Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester or Royal United Hospital in Bath to receive maternity care. [12]

Hospitals

The trust manages Musgrove Park Hospital, Yeovil Hospital, mental health units in Bridgwater, Taunton and Wells, and 12 community hospitals: [13]

See also

References

  1. "Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Annual Report 2023-24" (PDF). somersetft.nhs.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  2. "About Us - Somerset NHS Foundation Trust". Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  3. "About Us". Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  4. "Redundancies 'not ruled out' as merging trusts target £50m savings" . Health Service Journal. 27 September 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  5. "Why we are merging with Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust". Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
  6. "Trust says 'game-changing' deal will expand capacity by 25pc". Health Service Journal. 8 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  7. "Hospital picks new private partner after firm's sudden liquidation". Health Service Journal. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  8. "Integrated trusts aim for first-of-its-kind merger". Health Service Journal. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  9. "Two Somerset NHS trusts merge to create unique NHS trust". Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  10. "Temporary closure of special care baby unit and important changes to inpatient maternity services at Yeovil Hospital". Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. 13 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  11. "Yeovil District Hospital - Care Quality Commission" . Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  12. Ruth Bradley (13 May 2025). "Temporary closure for maternity unit after warning". BBC News. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  13. "Community hospitals". Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Retrieved 16 April 2020.