Humber Health Partnership’s organisational review is moving into its next phase, with further work to consider what arrangements will best support the clinically led improvement journey already underway and help address long-standing structural challenges that the Partnership cannot resolve on its own.
The review is being supported by NHS England through the Intensive Recovery Programme, with independent input from Carnall Farrar.
Since August 2025, Humber Health Partnership has been taking forward a clinically led improvement journey to better understand and address the long-standing challenges facing services across Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust.
This work led to the Partnership’s first clinically led Improvement Plan, published in January, which brought together, for the first time, a shared picture of the operational, workforce, financial and structural challenges affecting the Partnership and the priorities needed to support sustained improvement.
The organisational review is the next stage in that journey. It is considering what arrangements will best support the clinically led improvement work already underway, and help address long-standing structural challenges that Humber Health Partnership cannot resolve on its own.
The first phase of the review has now concluded. It looked at the current organisational arrangements across the Partnership, the evidence relating to the current Group model, and the issues that now require more detailed consideration.
The next phase will take place over the summer and will involve more detailed work with clinical leaders, commissioners and partner organisations. This will include looking in more detail at whether the current operating model should change, whether Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust should work more closely together, or whether different, more separate arrangements would better support patients, colleagues and long-term sustainability.
Alan Downey, Chair of Humber Health Partnership, said: “This is an important piece of work for the Partnership and for the communities we serve.
“The first phase has helped draw together the evidence and identify the questions that now need more detailed consideration.
“The next phase is about looking carefully at these questions, involving clinical leaders and key partners, and making sure any future proposals are evidence-based, realistic and focused on what is best for patients, colleagues and local communities.”
Lyn Simpson, Group Chief Executive of Humber Health Partnership, said: “Since last summer, colleagues across the Partnership have been working together to build a clearer and more honest understanding of the challenges we need to address.
“That clinically led improvement work led to our Improvement Plan in January and continues to be central to how we move forward.
“This review is part of that journey. It is about making sure we have the right organisational arrangements in place to support safe, high-quality care, and long-term sustainability.
“The first phase has concluded, no decisions have been taken, and the next stage will involve further detailed work with clinical leaders, colleagues and partners.”
Fiona Edwards, NHS England North East and Yorkshire Regional Director, said: “The Partnership is dealing with challenges that are deep-rooted and structural, not simply operational.
“Lyn has brought openness, honesty and strong clinical leadership to this work since joining the Partnership.
“The clinically led Improvement Plan developed under her leadership has helped bring together, for the first time, a clearer shared understanding of the long-standing challenges facing HUTH and NLAG.
“NHS England is supporting the Partnership through the Intensive Recovery Programme because some of those challenges are deep-rooted and structural, not simply operational.
“The next phase of the review is about supporting the improvement journey Lyn and colleagues have already started, and making sure the Partnership has the right foundations in place for patients, staff and local communities over the long term.”
The review is expected to conclude over the summer.