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Actually, as a newcomer to the NHS it always struck me as odd that there were no regional or national hospital chains, as there are in most other industries.

I dont think this has anything to do with, as the editorial suggests, the new system. If anything the new system will lead to less of these things as there is no real strategic system leader in the new world.

No. These mergers are mainly driven by lower financial settlements played out through tariff reductions.

The one thing they have in their favour is at least being able to be developed at run by the organisations themselves, compared to the commissioning changes which are subject to a poorly run pseudo national process.