Are there alternatives to merger?

The reconfiguration of the supply side of the National Health Service (NHS) has stimulated an extensive debate about the need to merge NHS Trusts to maintain viable organizations. The result has been a number of mergers across the UK. Considers the underlying advantages of mergers and their drawbacks and argues that consideration must be made to addressing the long-term strategic direction of an organization rather than regarding mergers as ends in themselves. Undertakes an appraisal of alliances and joint partnerships as alternatives to merger. Considers the conditions necessary to create effective alliances and joint partnerships and the factors which will sustain them. Appraises these requirements in the context of the NHS Trusts, in which little detailed work has been undertaken on classifying, understanding and developing what effective alliances mean for these organizations.