THE health trust that runs Trafford’s hospitals has outlined the process by which it aims to find a takeover partner.

Cash-strapped Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking to become part of a larger organisation because it is too small to become a foundation trust by April 2014, as required by the Government.

Hospital bosses claim the move will ensure that Trafford patients can continue to access health services of the highest standard.

The health trust has agreed to work with its three neighbouring foundation hospital trusts – Central Manchester University Hospitals (which runs the MRI), University Hospital of South Manchester (which runs Wythenshawe) and Salford Royal – to see if one of them will make a suitable partner.

It will officially launch the process in early April when it publishes a prospectus describing what Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust can offer its neighbouring hospitals.

The trust has set up four reference groups to involve patients, hospital staff, Trafford residents, GPs, the council and other key people in the process.

Ron Calvert, chief executive of Trafford Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “Our top priority in looking for a partner is ensuring that people in Trafford can continue to access excellent and appropriate health services, even though we are too small to remain viable in our own right.”

The trust board hopes to choose its preferred partner, taking into account the reference groups’ views, by the end of the summer.