MERGER talks are taking place between bosses at the George Eliot Hospital and healthcare counterparts in Staffordshire.
The Nuneaton NHS Trust has confirmed to the News that Burton's Queens Hospital is one of a number of partnership options being considered as it forges ahead with plans to become a Foundation Trust (FT).
The George Eliot needs to achieve FT status by 2014 and is not in a position to do so alone.
Joining forces with Queens would mean it would strengthen its position as a smaller acute Trust.
A spokesperson for the Nuneaton NHS Trust said: "The Trust is undertaking a process to secure a strategic partner to ensure the long-term sustainability of services at George Eliot Hospital. A number of organisations have expressed an interest in discussing potential proposals with Trust.
"One of the organisations is Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is not a formal procurement process. At this stage, the discussion are informal and will help George Eliot Hospital identify the best organisational shape going forward. It will also help participating organisations to decide whether or not they wish to proceed further."
Bosses at Queen's Hospital have in turn said that they could benefit from a partnership with a Warwickshire-based Trust.
The move could pave the way for an NHS Trust spanning south Staffordshire and North Warwickshire as Queen's also runs two community hospitals in Tamworth and Lichfield.
Queen's chief executive Helen Ashley said: "Our trust remains alert to opportunities which could strengthen the way we work with other organisations."
She added that any link with the George Eliot may not be a full merger and would not stop Queen's in its attempt to slash spending by £22 million over three years.
"This in no way detracts us from the way we are tackling the challenges in our finances," explained the hospital chief.
"At the moment any link with the George Eliot is nothing more than an expression of interest in the opportunity. But it will become a more formal process."
