One of the biggest NHS trusts in the country, it serves a population of 1.2 million people[2] and has an annual revenue of over £850m.

[4] This came after a number of proposals from the Mid and South Essex Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) regarding reconfiguring services provided in the area.

In October 2018 the plan was referred by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

[5] 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.

[7] Digitising the trust's Bridging service with CareLineLive, a response to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, enabled 10 times as many patients to get home quickly.