The proposed merger of two Cumbrian health trusts is progressing, with a formal date now set for it to go ahead.

If approved by NHS Improvement, the Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust will officially join together on October 1.

It will mean that all of north and west Cumbria’s hospitals, community and mental health services will be run by the same organisation.

Bosses say the move is designed to improve care for patients and make life better for staff at both trusts.

It will also save money, potentially reducing duplication, and allowing the trust to move some services onto the same site and sell off buildings that are not needed.

The two trusts agreed to press ahead with the merger at a joint board meeting in Carlisle yesterday, publishing a document which sets out the plans in more detail.

The newly-merged trust will be given a new name and identity, though exactly what that will be has yet to be agreed.

The two trusts already share the same chief executive, Stephen Eames, and other directors have been given joint roles. They include Alison Smith, executive system chief nurse across both trusts, who said a formal merger is the natural next step.

“We have already achieved a great deal by working in a much more collaborative way and it’s given us a real glimpse of the potential that fully removing organisational boundaries will bring.

“Merging has the potential to unlock huge benefits for our patients, such as creating a fully integrated service in a number of areas, including stroke, children and families, and care of the elderly, by bringing community and hospital based teams together.

“Single policies and procedures will make it easier for our staff to work together and we will be able to offer more varied roles, encouraging more people to come and work and stay with us. We will also be able to reduce the costs of services by reducing duplication and maximising on local skills and talent.”

The procedure agreed will see the Cumbria Partnership, which is a foundation trust, acquire the North Cumbria hospitals trust.

A full business case must now be developed and approved by regulator NHS Improvement, with a view to the merger going ahead on October 1 this year.

Joint chief executive Mr Eames said they will be talking in more detail to staff, governors and the wider community about the plans in the coming months.

He added: “It is a necessary step in our wider plans to join up all of health and care services. This way of working has been endorsed in the NHS long term plan which sets out integration as one of the requirements to drive an NHS fit for the future.”