Mersey Care to deliver partnership specialist community services across West Lancashire

Mersey Care has been sub-contracted to deliver specialist community services across West Lancashire in partnership with Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (MWL) following a competitive tendering process by NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

MWL will act as lead provider for the contract and Mersey Care has been sub-contracted to deliver some of the specialist community services, which will cover a predominantly rural district with a population of around 118,000 people, including Skelmersdale, Ormskirk and surrounding villages.

Mersey Care already provide community services across Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and St Helens and Chief Executive Officer Trish Bennett said: “We’re delighted to work in partnership with MWL to provide these important community services for our local communities and we believe our partnership with MWL can only strengthen and improve the healthcare options for West Lancashire residents.”

This contract has been awarded for an initial three‑year period, with the option to extend for a further two years, running from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2031. It supports the NHS 10 Year Plan’s ambition to move care away from hospitals and closer to people’s homes, strengthening community‑based provision and improving integration across services.

An MWL Trust spokesperson said: ”This is an exciting opportunity to broaden the footprint in which MWL delivers community services to our local population, supporting the NHS 10 Year Plan ambition to shift care closer to home and strengthen provision from hospital to community settings.

“As part of this contract, we are pleased to welcome Mersey Care as our partner in delivering Specialist Community Services, which will further enhance both the quality and range of support available throughout the community.”

A spokesperson for NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) added: “Community health services play a vital role in supporting people to live well and independently in their own homes.

“In line with the government’s long‑term vision, we want to move care away from hospitals and closer to people’s homes. The decision to award a single contract is intended to provide greater stability for community services, support closer partnership working, and create a strong platform for ongoing improvement and transformation.”