A FAILING hospital trust may join forces with its “outstanding” neighbour as part of moves to improve its performance.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust is expected to “buddy up” with Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust and get extra help and support.

Discussions are reportedly under way between the two hospital trusts and the regulator NHS Improvement but no official statement has been made.

An announcement is expected to be made shortly.

The move is not a merger and if it goes ahead the two trusts will continue to operate as separate organisations.

Similar buddy schemes offering support at an executive level have already been established between other trusts around the country.

Brighton and Sussex has been placed in special measures for both care and finances and recently revealed it was heading for a £60m deficit at the end of March.

It was branded inadequate by the Care Quality Commission following an inspection earlier this year.

Western Sussex was given an outstanding rating by CQC inspectors earlier this year and is forecasting a surplus of more than £3m.

One member of staff at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals said: “I think a lot of people feel we need all the help we can get.

“We are not the only trust in special measures in the country and it shows just how much many hospitals are struggling.”

Brighton and Sussex, along with East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, was placed in financial special measures last month.

At the beginning of each financial year, NHS trusts agree a deficit they will not exceed - called a control total - and are warned they can be placed in financial special measures if it looks likely that they will miss this figure by a significant margin.

Brighton and Sussex bosses said the trust was likely to overrun its planned £15.5 million deficit.

Among the support given by NHS Improvement includes the appointment of a financial improvement director, Colin Whipp, who started at the trust last week.

The trust also loses autonomy over key spending decisions and over applications for Department of Health financing.

There will also be extra monitoring to check on progress being made and the trust could be moved out of financial special measures in six months time.