Warrington and Halton residents will see a change in their local health services following the official merger of two major NHS organisations on 1 April 2026. The Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have combined to form the new North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.
This integration brings together nearly 6,500 staff members to serve approximately 340,000 residents across the Warrington and Halton boroughs. The merger, which was approved by the government and overseen by NHS England following a detailed business case process, aims to provide more joined-up healthcare. Chief Executive Nikhil Khashu, who was appointed to lead both organisations in 2025, stated that the move is an important step in improving healthcare across the region.
For patients and local residents, there will be no immediate changes to care, treatment locations, or upcoming appointments. While the new name will begin to appear on correspondence and websites, the same hospital sites and community centres will continue to operate as usual. The Better Care Together programme, which guided the merger process, is designed to ensure services are delivered in the right place at the right time, with a long-term goal of reducing unnecessary hospital visits through better digital tools and more accessible care options.
The transition builds on previous initiatives like the Living Well Hub in Warrington town centre. The hub serves as a model for how the new trust intends to offer a wider variety of services in a single location, including mental health support, maternity clinics, and dementia care. Discussions regarding this closer working relationship began in 2019, culminating in the creation of the unified trust this year.
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