 North Cumbria University Hospitals and Cumbria Partnership now work in a collaborative venture, with board members having positions with both trusts.This started with the same chief executive taking charge of both trusts in September 2017.In April 2018 it emerged that there were proposals to merge the STP for Northumberland, Tyne and Wear with those for North Cumbria and Darlington, Teesside, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby; this would create the largest STP in the country with a population of 3.2 million.