Chelsea and Westminster preferred bidder for potential partnership

West Middlesex University Hospital has announced Chelsea and Westminster as the preferred bidder for a potential partnership

Following an options appraisal process, West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust Board have agreed that Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust are the preferred bidder to explore a potential partnership to achieve Foundation Trust status.

In February West Middlesex announced that under NHS North West London’s Shaping a Healthier Future programme it has been chosen to become a major hospital. As a major hospital the Trust can look forward to significant investments in facilities and staffing, expanding a number of existing services including accident and emergency and its award winning maternity service. This is good news for the long term future of the Trust.

In a joint statement Chief Executive Dame Jacqueline Docherty and Chairman Tom Hayhoe said: “Over the coming months we will work closely with Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust to submit a Strategic Outline Case to the NHS Trust Development Authority for approval to develop a Full Business Case. This is a significant step in securing a vibrant future for the West Middlesex site as a major provider of services to our local residents.

“Ahead of any formal approval of this process, we remain committed to delivering high quality clinical services whilst the partnership option is explored.  This includes delivering the recommendations of the Shaping a Healthier Future programme in conjunction with our commissioners and local health and social care providers.  We also look forward to continuing our long standing collaborative relationship with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust with whom we share many joint clinical appointments.

“On behalf of the Trust Board, we would both like to thank everyone who has been involved in our journey to date and we hope that through this partnership we will secure a bright future for our hospital and the community.”

Tony Bell, Chief Executive of Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am delighted that Chelsea and Westminster has been selected as the  preferred bidder. Both organisations are passionate about innovation and enhancing services for patients. A future partnership offers the potential to build on the high quality care that we currently deliver and develop our services in an innovative and integrated way for our patients. I look forward to working with the West Middlesex team to take the proposals to the next stage and conducting a further analysis of the opportunities.”

Mark Davies, Chief Executive at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We fully support the decision by West Middlesex to choose Chelsea and Westminster as their preferred partner moving forward. The process used to make this decision has been both rigorous and fair, and we are grateful to West Middlesex for their honesty and professionalism throughout.

“We would like to take this opportunity to wish West Middlesex and Chelsea and Westminster every success as they move forward with this partnership and look forward to working with them in the future.

“Imperial has been providing highly specialist care with excellent outcomes for West Middlesex’s patients for a number of years. We look forward to working with Chelsea and Westminster to ensure West Middlesex’s patients continue to receive these high levels of care.”

Dr Nicola Burbidge, Chair of Hounslow Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: “Hounslow CCG will continue to support West Middlesex University Hospital and Chelsea and Westminster as they develop a case to determine whether a partnership can deliver further improvement in healthcare for local Hounslow residents and secure Foundation Trust status for the site. We are delighted that West Middlesex has been designated a major hospital and this will provide a firm foundation on which this partnership can develop.”

Andrew Smith, Chair of Richmond CCG, said: "Richmond CCG is keen to work with the West Middlesex and Chelsea and Westminster to explore how partnership may secure a high quality, safe and effective future for the West Middlesex to achieve Foundation Trust status and continue to support the care needs of the residents of the borough of Richmond."