In every region, the NHS is facing very real and profound challenges; rising demand for services, constrained funding and ageing hospital estates. To continue to deliver the outstanding care that patients rightly expect and NHS staff are committed to deliver, NHS organisations need real and meaningful change.
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and North Bristol Trust (NBT) have shared their intent to merge to become one organisation.
The Trusts have set out a vision to become ‘One Team’, learning from each other, sharing resources, removing wasteful duplication to ensure that all patients, no matter who they are, where they live, or where they are treated, get access to the same high-quality care across all our hospitals.
Every year millions of people across the Southwest and beyond need urgent, expert medical care from the NHS in our hospitals, which when combined total 16 hospital and community sites. The biggest collection of hospitals and services in the UK in a single region.
Alongside this wider NHS exploration, the two official NHS charities for the Bristol hospital, Southmead Hospital Charity (SHC) and Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity (BWHC) are also exploring the possibility of joining together.
Southmead Hospital Charity has proudly supported North Bristol NHS Trust since 1996, funding life-changing projects across Southmead Hospital, Cossham Hospital, and the Bristol Centre for Enablement. BWHC has stood alongside UHBW since 1974.
As part of the potential move to a single NHS Trust for the region, both charities are exploring whether becoming ‘One Team’ could help us deliver even greater impact for patients, families and NHS staff. Under this proposal, BWHC would become the principal charity partner for the new merged organisation.
By bringing together the strengths, expertise and communities of two much‑loved charities, there is potential to do even more for people across Bristol, Weston‑super‑Mare and beyond.
A final update from both charities will be shared in May 2026. This, as part of the wider decision about the Trust merger, will then be subject to final approvals in the summer.
For the moment, nothing changes.
Southmead Hospital Charity continues to support NBT exactly as we do today.
That means:
We are committed to keeping our supporters, staff, fundholders and partners informed as soon as we know more. We will share the next major update in May 2026.
In the meantime, you can visit our proposed merger FAQs page to learn more and find answers to some of the most common questions.
Thank you for continuing to stand with us and helping transform care for patients across North Bristol NHS Trust.
