2gether NHS Foundation Trust

2gether NHS Foundation Trust was a National Health Service foundation trust providing mental health and learning disability services across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire in England. Established by the consolidation of services and later authorised as a foundation trust, it operated inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, community teams and specialist services before entering merger processes in the late 2010s. The trust engaged with regulatory bodies, local commissioners and partner organisations while delivering clinical pathways for adults, older people and children with mental health and neurodevelopmental needs.

History

The trust traces its organisational lineage to predecessor mental health providers serving Gloucester, Cheltenham, Hereford and surrounding districts, culminating in authorisation as an NHS foundation trust in 2009. During the 2010s it developed integrated community mental health teams aligned with local clinical commissioning groups such as NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group. Under national frameworks articulated by NHS England and oversight from Monitor (NHS)—later subsumed into NHS Improvement—the trust implemented policies influenced by reports including the Bradley Report and standards from Care Quality Commission. Leadership changes saw executive directors and chairs drawn from backgrounds in health services management and clinical psychiatry, engaging with initiatives linked to Five Year Forward View priorities and regional sustainability plans.

Services and clinical specialties

The trust provided a portfolio including adults’ community mental health services, older peoples’ mental health, child and adolescent mental health services aligned with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), forensic mental health liaison, crisis resolution and home treatment teams, and learning disability services. Specialist teams offered psychological therapies consistent with NICE guidelines, early intervention services for psychosis connected to Early Intervention in Psychosis services, perinatal mental health liaison, and dementia assessment services coordinated with Alzheimer’s Society pathways. Forensic liaison interacted with local police forces such as Gloucestershire Constabulary and Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire and Rescue Service for safeguarding and diversion schemes. Community nursing, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and care coordination were integrated with general practice networks including NHS England (regional teams) and multidisciplinary input from acute hospitals such as Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Hereford County Hospital.

Organization and governance

The trust operated a governance structure typical of foundation trusts, with a board of directors and a council of governors representing public, staff and partner constituencies drawn from counties including Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. Its governance arrangements adhered to regulatory regimes overseen by Care Quality Commission inspection frameworks and accountability mechanisms under Monitor (NHS) and NHS Improvement. The executive team collaborated with local authorities—such as Gloucestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council—on joint commissioning and safeguarding through multi-agency safeguarding hubs informed by legislation like the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Partnerships extended to academic institutions for research and training, including links with universities such as the University of Gloucestershire and healthcare education bodies like Health Education England.

Performance and inspections

Performance assessments involved routine reporting against national indicators for access, waiting times and clinical outcomes, and periodic inspections by the Care Quality Commission assessing safety, effectiveness, caring, responsiveness and leadership. The trust responded to inspection reports and implemented action plans addressing identified issues in inpatient environments, medicines management and staff training, aligning improvements with guidance from national bodies including NHS England and professional standards from organisations such as the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Patient experience feedback channels included participation groups, carers’ networks and collaboration with voluntary sector partners such as Mind (charity) and Rethink Mental Illness. Performance metrics were also reviewed at regional sustainability and transformation partnerships associated with Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprints.

Mergers and successor arrangements

In the late 2010s organisational consolidation in the NHS mental health sector led to merger discussions involving neighbouring trusts, regulatory appraisals by NHS Improvement and engagement with clinical commissioners. These processes culminated in structural changes where services and assets transferred to successor organisations through legal and organisational integration, aiming to achieve clinical and financial sustainability in line with national consolidation trends exemplified by other mergers such as those that formed larger mental health providers in the National Health Service (England). Successor arrangements emphasised continuity of care for service users, staff redeployment and alignment with regional strategic plans governed by bodies including NHS England (South West).

Category:NHS foundation trusts Category:Mental health organisations in the United Kingdom