The radical plan aims to prevent ‘duplication’ of services at different hospitals, reduce outpatient appointments by 15 per cent and places extra emphasis on community care.
The Government asked NHS leaders in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) to create a sustainability and transformation plan (STP) for the next five years.
The STP will shape healthcare for close to one million people and is the joint effort of 15 NHS organisations across an area where an ageing population is putting pressure on services and recruitment is proving difficult.
If nothing is done, the gap between spending and the available funding for BNSSG will rise from £72million to £305.5million by 2021.
Expert consultants are also assessing ways for Weston General Hospital to become sustainable and the STP says it could adapt to focus on key specialties to avoid spending cash on underused clinical services.