Staff frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Neither. We will be using the NHS “group model”. Both organisations, Cambridgeshire Community Trust (CCS) and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C), are coming into this as equals and will remain independent organisations. In time we will join together and create a new shared organisation, however at present we believe the group model is the right one for us.

The choice to work together has been made independently by the two Boards at CCS and NCH&C. As small organisations there has always been a possibility that we would be encouraged to merge with another trust. This decision means we’ve been able to make the very best match, choosing to work together due to the shared geography, service portfolio, and values of our two organisations.

For the vast majority of individuals and teams, their daily work will remain the same. You will be continuing to support patients in the community and in our clinics and inpatient units. The benefits will come through sharing our knowledge, skills and infrastructure that support frontline care.

No. Using our money in the right way is always important but cost saving is not the primary reason we are doing this. Whilst savings are a potential benefit from this approach, the positive impact we can make together to patient care has been at the heart of why we’ve pursued this.

The only change we are making in the short term is to create a single Board, so we will see a reduction in the number of roles at Executive and Non-Executive level. The makeup of the board is yet to be agreed and appointment to it will be in line with the supportive policies within both trusts.

As small NHS organisations it is likely to become increasingly difficult to sustain our services within the allocated budgets and to make the annual efficiencies required each year without impacting on the services we provide. While we can continue making efficiency savings, this can only help so much, so inevitably we would reach a point where we would need to make changes to services. We have no desire to reduce the amount of direct clinical care we provide or see less patients, just to balance the books, so we have pursued a more radical and forward-thinking plan. By choosing our own destiny and making a positive alignment as like-minded organisations, we can continue to thrive and provide much needed specialist community health and care services for years to come.

The biggest benefit is scale. A bigger organisation can get better deals on its purchases, finds recruitment easier as its influence and reputation grow, can offer services more efficiently, and is more resilient. We would hope this change will also give a bigger voice to community services locally. We will also have more diversity, depth and breadth in our thoughts and decision making. We can learn more quickly, taking learning from more teams and finding approaches which can be applied elsewhere to drive improvement more quickly - ensuring quality is as high as it can be. With a growing number of people who will need care in their own homes and communities, in particular as our population ages, there is a need for community services to be more influential, more impactful and have a stronger voice in the system – these changes will help us to do that.

No. We will be continuing with all of our current clinical and organisational policies, process and systems. Where there is benefit in bringing together our separate systems and support infrastructure into a single approach, we will do so – but only after understanding that the new arrangement would be beneficial for all staff.

As a bigger organisation, it is likely there will be more opportunities for career progression and development. There will also be innovations and developments which could lead to new roles.

Maintaining consistency and quality of care is the primary concern of both organisations – these changes will not detract from how either organisation provides its services.

Both Trusts already work in Norfolk and Waveney, and this will continue to be an important area of focus and care delivery. This change will mean that our services, instead of being delivered by two different organisations, will be overseen by a single Group Board with the aim to gradually come together, creating a stronger, more resilient service for our service users. We can each learn from the best of both organisations and reduce unnecessary duplication and variation.

Services provided by CCS in Suffolk, Cambridgeshire/Peterborough and Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes will continue to be delivered and supported by the infrastructure and leadership in those areas and by their support teams as they are now.

No, you will not have to move to a different geographical area. Depending on your role, you may be asked to attend meetings or visit other areas, especially if you are in a leadership role. These will allow colleagues to better learn from each other. However, these visits wouldn’t be frequent and would be covered by expenses.

Culture was a huge part of our decision making when considering this approach. Our organisational cultures are core and important elements of both CCS and NCH&C and we don’t want to lose that. We share many culture aspects - being compassionate, inclusive, ambitious and creative, with a strong sense of community, both in what we do and who we are. We also share similar values. Through our new way of working, we intend to hold tightly to these shared cultures. We will also reflect together on what more we can do to bring those values to life and build an even stronger, kinder culture for all. We will be designing with all staff how the new group culture will look and feel going forward.

Change of any kind demands time, so we are making sure we pace this carefully to ensure it is manageable for people at all levels of our organisation. Continuing to deliver safe and effective care will remain our priority. When the new Group Board comes together, it will represent two organisations, but this isn’t as simple as doubling the workload. Similar issues can be discussed once rather than with the duplication that occurs at the moment.

We will retain our current Trust names.

Working together in a group model will not in itself reduce waiting times. However similar services across our geography can have very different waiting times, often due to variations in local demand and historic funding levels. Coming together gives us an opportunity to learn from each other to implement changes to reduce waiting times while managing to continue to provide a high-quality service.

The intention is to have a single Group Board appointed and in place by April 2025. Closer working between teams will take place gradually so you are unlikely to see any immediate changes.

The NCH&C Board has considered a range of options, including the option of working more closely with other providers in Norfolk. CCS was considered the best match due to its portfolio and culture, in addition to its provision of services to Norfolk. Our intent has been to create a sustainable and vibrant specialist community health provider that works effectively with primary, acute, social and mental health care providers in equal measure.

The group does not need a head office, nor is this especially important, given the modern-day ways of agile working. Both existing organisations have a registered address at their existing HQ and these will remain. However the Board will operate across the breadth of the organisation day-to-day, rather than be bound by a specific fixed office base.

No, both NHS Trusts remain in place so your employer will remain the same. TUPE only applies if a service moves from one employer to another. If in future, we decide to create a new single NHS organisation then TUPE would apply for everyone.

We recognise the importance of having visible leadership within each area. So, we will be expecting Trust leadership to spend time visiting sites, working with teams and having a regular presence in each of the group’s geographical areas.

Contracts through our commissioners – such as councils or ICBs – are geographically specific. Money allocated to services in one area will not be spent elsewhere and this is a guiding principle that both Trusts already adopt and adhere to.

We have no immediate plans to reduce the number of bases. However it makes sense to consider what bases we have and whether there are opportunities to share buildings. This may help facilitate closer working, help us find higher quality spaces to work and receive care, and help us to be cost efficient.

Yes. Both organisations continue to exist and will continue to recognise the unions they do now.

Yes. You will continue to be employed by the same organisation and retain all your existing rights.

There are lots of ways two organisations can collaborate. This can range from informal arrangements through to merger – with various options in between like committees in common, partnering agreements and joint ventures. The group model is one of those options. A group model can be applied in different ways, but usually involves a shared leadership team and joint decision making. As there’s no set way a group model has to work, so we can design our group in a way that works for us. We will be doing this collaboratively over the coming months. You may find the spectrum of collaboration by NHS Providers helpful in understanding our options.

Absolutely. Valuing and supporting our people is important for both of our organisations. We intend to maintain our high standards in this area, and in time work together to do even more for our people

We are not rushing into change, so we can take time to work with our teams and our communities to get things right. Part of this “steady as we go” approach is choosing to opt a group model rather than going through a merger at this stage. It is also worth noting that CCS and NCH&C have a lot of experience in managing change. We have taken on new services and adapted teams many times and are stronger for it. Together we have the skills and infrastructure to ensure we get this right.

As part of our Trust strategies, we have many big projects underway. We do not anticipate stopping any of these projects. It will be helpful to review the projects in light of our new partnership, to see if they can be improved or strengthened by working with our new partner. We do not expect a significant change in strategy though. Our missions to improve the health and wellbeing of people across the diverse communities we serve, improving patients' lives by providing the best care, close to where they live – remain in place, and our projects are a key part of delivering on our commitments.

It will be some time before we know what it will mean for individual services. However we are not expecting significant changes to our clinical work. In some cases there may be aspects of our work that overlap – such as in our support services – and in time we are likely to look at how we best provide services collaboratively. We will do that in partnership with our teams. For the vast majority of individuals and teams, their daily work will remain the same. You will be continuing to support patients in the community and in our clinics and inpatient units.