As of April 2020[update], 217 extant trusts employed about 800,000 of the NHS's 1.2 million staff.
[1] NHS trusts were introduced in 1992, and their number, composition, form and naming has changed over time such that there are perhaps 1,000 distinct trust names in the literature; this list seeks to identify establishment, merger, dissolution and renaming events, and the succession of services from one name or trust to another.
Sufficiently distinct names are listed on distinct rows; minimally changed names (especially X NHS Trust changed to X NHS Foundation Trust) are listed on a single row.
Dates are generally as established in underlying legislation; operational start and end dates may differ.
This list excludes community health trusts established under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 and their successors, primary care trusts, for which see the list of primary care trusts in England.