Boards of two large NHS trusts have agreed to take their proposed merger to a second assessment phase.

Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust agreed at individual board meetings on Thursday, February 26, to press on with the plans.

Chief executive of Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals Trust, said: "The rationale for proceeding with our merger plans remains as strong now as it ever was. Both boards believe merger will help to ensure a strong future for all three of our hospitals, with clear benefits for patients.

"We face difficult times in the NHS with increasing demand on our services, higher costs and more focus than ever on quality standards.

"Yet at the same time our funding isn't able to keep pace, meaning we need to do more with less. Bringing our organisations together will give us the opportunity to improve and protect services, at the same time as making considerable financial savings that can be reinvested back into patient care."

The second phase assessment will continue to investigate plans for the merger before making a final decision, a process likely to take about six months.