A NEW option has emerged to secure the future for Wye Valley NHS Trust.

The Trust is already analysing five options for its future ranging from takeover by another larger Trust or the privatisation of its management.

Now the option of “service reconfiguration” is to be considered after consultation.

“We made it clear from the outset that this would be an open and transparent process and, having listened to stakeholders views, we feel it is important to explore a further option, taking the total to six,” said interim chief executive Derek Smith.

Reconfiguration involves a detailed evaluation of all Trust services, taking into account patient outcomes, costs and usage. This will allow the Trust to determine if a re-configuration creating a clinically and financially sound single organisation is a viable option for its future.

The Trust Board will consider the work done on all six options in late June before going into talks with service commissioners, the Trust Development Authority and local stakeholders about the choices to be made.

A decision on the future form of WVT is likely to be made later in the year when all the analysis has been completed.