title: Experiences of a senior nurse merging trusts.
abstract: IN APRIL 1998, the Horton General Hospital NHS Trust in Banbury merged with the Oxford Radcliffe Trust. The Horton General Hospital was a small district general hospital (200 beds). Economies of scale resulted in a significant financial deficit; there were also Royal College threats to the viability of a number of clinical services, the linchpin being paediatrics. The local community and many staff were concerned about both the future of the hospital, particularly fearing the loss of the local accident and emergency department and paediatric ward; other A&E departments and child health services were 25 miles away.
authors.affiliation: The Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Candler