Mergers in the NHS: Made in heaven or marriages of convenience?

Report on the introduction of competition on the supply side of the internal market.

Report

Published: 01/10/1997

ISBN: 1902089014

Download the report [PDF 346.4KB]

Maria Goddard and Brian Ferguson address a central theme of the recent NHS reforms – the introduction of competition on the supply side of the internal market. The aim of this was to provide the incentive for efficiency and responsiveness through decentralised decision-making.

The authors examine hospital and service merger policy and practice in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. They suggest that the evidence on the impact of mergers in the health care sector remains inconclusive and that the expected benefits from mergers often fail to materialise.

A cautious approach to merger activity and a clear framework for assessment are essential.

Suggested citation

Goddard M and Ferguson B (1997) Mergers in the NHS: Made in heaven or marriages of convenience? Nuffield Trust.