Merger Plans

Luton & Dunstable University Hospital and Bedford Hospital merged on 1 April 2020 to form Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Under the single NHS Trust, both hospitals retain their identity and individual hospital names. A&E, maternity and paediatrics services remain on both sites, with clinical services from both hospitals working as single teams across the whole Bedfordshire catchment area. This brings many benefits for patients including much improved continuity of care.

Supporting the work programme of the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care System (BLMK ICS), the merger provides new and exciting opportunities for collaboration, and is the driver to improve health and care services for all our patients across the whole of Bedfordshire.

On 5 August 2019, it was confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care that £99.5m of capital funding has been approved which is fantastic news for our patients. This meant the delivery of a new 5 storey acute services block at Luton & Dunstable University Hospital (L&D) to enable urgent replacement of some of the site’s most out-dated estate can progress. This will make a real difference to patient and staff experience by delivering new facilities for critical care, maternity services, the level 3 neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) and operating theatres.

Stakeholders were updated during the months leading up to the merger.

Read the stakeholder newsletter and other published information

Find out more on public engagement

Find out more information on the new organisation name and identity

View our frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)

Find out more on Foundation Trust Membership

If you have any specific queries please email merger@ldh.nhs.uk