The boards have approved a business case for the merger which will now be submitted to NHS England for approval.

A spokesperson for North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust said: ‘We believe it would enable us to go further and faster in improving services for patients and improving the health of our local community.'

North Mid has been a clinical partner with the Royal Free London group since 2017 and the trusts have been in a formal partnership since 2021.

A spokesperson for North Mid NHS said: ‘Our experience has shown that we can achieve more together than we can apart, delivering better care for local people and more opportunities for our staff.'

The trust has been developing plans to merge into the Royal Free London group alongside Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, with its hospitals continuing to provide some local services.

The merger is expected to deliver reduced waiting times, improved access to specialist care locally, better joined-up community services, greater opportunities to benefit from the latest medical research and trials of new treatments and more coordinated action to help people stay healthy, with screening and early intervention services tailored to our different communities.

NHS England is expected review the business case for the merger this autumn.

Subject to approval from the secretary of state, the trusts expect to merge at the end of the year.