The Secretary of State has now formally approved the partnership between St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals and Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals.
From 1st July, the Trusts will now come together as a single organisation under the name Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Originally established to ensure Southport & Ormskirk could continue to provide high quality and sustainable services to local people, the partnership has brought significant investment to the local healthcare system.
The new Trust will deliver acute hospital care, intermediate care, community and primary care services, to a population of over 600,000 people with a combined workforce of around 9,000 dedicated and skilled staff from 17 locations including Whiston, Southport & Formby, St Helens, Ormskirk and Newton hospitals.
The Trust will also provide regional services for burns, plastic surgery, and spinal injuries, to more than four million people across Mersey and West Lancashire, Cheshire, the Isle of Man and North Wales.
Ann Marr OBE, Chief Executive, said: “We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to excellent local healthcare. Our partnership has undoubtedly made a positive difference to our local communities, and we are committed to further improving services for patients now and in the future.
As a single, larger organisation we will be able to further develop services, improve patient experience and offer greater career opportunities for staff. It’s an exciting time to part of Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.”