Come along and find out more about our merger plans and tell us what healthcare improvements you’d like to see at our patient and public event at Dugdale Arts Centre in Enfield from 10am to 12pm on Wednesday 20 November. 

Royal Free London group chief executive, Peter Landstrom, and North Mid chief executive, Nnenna Osuji, will explain why the trusts are planning to join together and senior clinicians will outline the four initial areas where we believe our merger can achieve greater benefits for patients and staff — oncology, research, colorectal surgery and surgical hubs. 

There will also be an opportunity for you to share your thoughts on what benefits the merger should bring over the next three years. 

If you would like to attend the event, please register by emailing rf-tr.northmid@nhs.net Spaces are limited so book early to request a place. Refreshments will be provided. 

How to get to Dugdale Arts Centre 

The Dugdale Arts Centre is at 39 London Road, Enfield EN2 6DS. It is at the junction of Genotin Road, London Road and Cecil Road at the entrance to Enfield Town, just near Iceland and Lidl. 

For more details about parking, public transport and accessibility, please see the Dugdale Arts Centre website. 

Our proposed merger  

In July 2024 the trust boards of the Royal Free London and North Mid approved the business case for the merger of our two organisations.   

 This decision marks a significant milestone in our partnership, with 1 January 2025 the date when our trusts are expected to join together subject to NHS England and Secretary of State approval. For seven years we have been collaborating to improve care across a range of specialties and sharing resources to treat people more quickly and provide a better working environment for our staff.   

“We are proud of what we have achieved already,” says Mark Lam, the chair of both trusts. “However, given the scale of challenge that health and care services face, we believe that joining together as one will enable us to go further and faster in improving services and the health of local people without the barriers that still exist between us as separate organisations.” Patient benefits 

What will our merger mean for patients

Patients will still be referred to their usual local hospital or community service and our sites will continue to provide the same routine services for their local patients. However, by coming together as one, we expect to deliver more joined up services for patients, reduced waiting times and more support to keep people healthy.  

We will also be able to provide more specialist care locally so patients don’t have to travel and better integration with community services so people can have their care at home instead of on a hospital ward.  

We know that our patients want us to see beyond geographical boundaries between trusts so that we can streamline their care. Feedback has shown that people recognise and welcome the benefits of transfers of care being quicker and easier within a single integrated trust and of the potential for a greater choice of sites to attend for outpatient tests and appointments. 

We have identified four initial services where we believe our merger can achieve greater benefits for patients and staff — oncology, research, colorectal surgery and surgical hubs. Read more about these, along with further details about our merger and frequently asked questions on our merger page.