The formation of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust (BFT) creates one of the biggest health trusts in the country, with 28,000 members of staff and a £2.6bn annual turnover.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust chief executive, Maria Kane, said: ‘This is a momentous day for health services in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and we are delighted to now be one single organisation working together to improve care for patients, support our people, reduce inequalities across our population and make the best use of public resources.

‘While merging is a significant milestone, it is just a step on our journey and we look forward to building on the foundations we have already laid to ensure Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is fit for the future and continues to grow and innovate to provide the best care for our patients.'

BFT already offers 10 clinical services and joining forces also increases the research and innovation potential for the new trust. Last week it was revealed that merging means that BFT ranks ahead of any other trust in the country for the amount of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funding received.