Stronger together

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) and Medway Community Healthcare (MCH) are exploring joining forces as one organisation.

As community providers with similar visions to support people in Kent and Medway to lead their best and healthiest lives, the organisations say they would rather face the challenges that lie ahead together.

KCHFT Chief Executive, Mairead McCormick, said: “This isn’t about structural change. We want to build on and grow what is already great, while also making our services stronger and more resilient as we continue to focus on the needs of patient and service users.

“We have an ageing and rapidly growing population with increasingly complex conditions and long waits for some services. Our communities face significant health inequalities, with differences in the services we provide across the county.

“It’s no secret, we have small specialist teams with recruitment and retention challenges, which make some of our services fragile, added to this the Kent and Medway system faces significant financial challenge. Together, we believe we would be better equipped to face these challenges.”

KCHFT partnered with MCH and HCRG Care Group to become the lead provider for community services for adult and children’s services in Kent and Medway for the next five years, winning the contracts in May. As local providers, KCHFT and MCH say exploring this next step highlights their willingness and capability to work together effectively.

MCH Managing Director Martin Riley said: “We are in the early stages of discussions and are keen to work with our staff, patients, communities and wider stakeholders to explore different options, however our preferred option is to join with KCHFT.  

“Together – in whatever form we take – we can achieve better health outcomes for our communities by sharing best practice, fostering innovation and pooling resources. With public finances challenged, it is right we explore our options, potentially merging organisations to reduce unnecessary costs and duplications, which will give us more funds to spend on care.

“No matter what happens, we will continue working with our health and care partners to deliver the best possible services for our communities.”

To go ahead, the decision will need approval of both Boards, NHS England, agreement from KCHFT’s Council of Governors and MCH’s shareholders through a formal vote.