Following approval from NHS England, an interim group chair will be appointed later this month with the substantive group chief executive and hospital executive managing directors appointed in April. A six-month phased implementation of the group model will then begin.

In a joint statement the chairs of all three hospitals said: ‘The hospitals will be able to share resources more effectively helping to tackle the large-scale challenges they face with a single unified approach. At the same time locally focused delivery of healthcare will continue to meet the specific needs of communities.

‘A group model will help ensure there is a reduction in unwarranted variation of healthcare for patients across the county and improve patient care and outcomes. Having both a single decision-making process across the three hospitals combined with strong site leadership will help optimise efficiency.'

The group will be called the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group, however, each of the hospitals will continue to operate under their own names.

The group will have combined chair, chief executive and set of executive and non-executive directors. Each hospital will also have an executive managing director who will be a full member of the group board.