Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust comprise Southport and Formby District General Hospital and Ormskirk District General Hospital. These hospitals are sited approximately eight miles apart. The Trust provides acute healthcare to a population of 258 000 located within West Lancashire and Southport and Formby. The Trust has a bed compliment of 500 inpatient beds and 50 day case beds, providing the following clinical services. The Trust also provides the regional spinal injury service whose catchments area covers Cumbria, North Wales and the Isle of Man as well as the Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester area. The Trust is one of the largest spending organisations in its two localities and the more money that is spent locally, the greater the positive impact this will have on the local economy, particularly for small and medium sized businesses.

The Joint Health Integrated Musculoskeletal Service (JH) provides a single point of access for primary care patients with joint and soft tissue problems. This includes all GP referrals to Secondary Care Orthopaedics. JH consists of a specialist multi-disciplinary team who triage referrals and re direct as appropriate within 48 hours. Approximately 17 % of referrals are diverted into secondary care at triage and 83 % are assessed, investigated and diagnosed by the most appropriate Joint Health clinician e.g. SEM consultant, advanced physiotherapists; advanced podiatrists, etc.