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UK: CMA to take on second-ever hospital merger review since 2012 law

By  |  April 6, 2014

The Competition and Markets Authority is slated to review the proposed merger between Frimley Park Hospital Foundation Trust and its struggling rival Heatherwood and Wexham Park, say reports.

The review, say reports, would only be the second time a hospital merger was scrutinized by competition regulators since they were given the power to do so by the 2012 Health Act. The legislation gives competition regulators the ability to review NHS foundation trust mergers.

The last such review was conducted to by the Competition Commission, which was merged with the Office of Fair Trading to create the CMA this month. The Commission blocked a proposed merger between Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals, and Poole Hospital, last October, say reports.

The CMA issued an invitation to comment on the proposed hospital foundation trust merger last week.

Full Content: Health Service Journal

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