[2] On 31 July 2019 the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care endorsed the merger and a provisional date of 1 April 2020 was agreed.

[4] It was announced in March 2014 that the trust would take over Serco’s contract for running services at Braintree Community Hospital from the start of April.

[7] The trust was one of 26 responsible for half of the national growth in patients waiting more than four hours in accident and emergency over the 2014/5 winter.

[8] Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission discovered during a visit in February 2015 that Broomfield and Braintree Community hospitals were using unqualified nursing staff in an emergency unit.

[9] In April 2017, the Care Quality Commission rated Mid Essex Hospital as "Good" overall[10] The trust spent £18 million on agency staff in 2014/5.