As part of the reform to ICBs, the number of ICBs nationally is expected to reduce from 42 to 26.
Mike Bell will be joint chair for North West London and North Central London ICBs, and will eventually become the chair of the newly merged ICB when it comes into effect in April 2026.
He joins from South West London ICB, where he was appointed chair in 2023. He has more than 25 years' experience in senior roles in the NHS, serving on the boards of strategic health authorities and as vice chair of NHS London.
Bell said: ‘Both ICBs have a record of excellence that will stand us in good stead as we bring together the best of both organisations. I will work with the Exec teams to help make sure that we can fulfil our new role as strategic commissioners within the reduced financial envelope and ensure excellent health services for local residents, that meets their needs and delivers better health outcomes for them.'
NHS England has formally confirmed that Dame Marie Gabriel will continue as chair of North East London ICB and ICS.
The ICB said: ‘Marie is a huge champion for north east London and her leadership will be an important point of stability over the next period.'
In addition, Danielle Oum has been confirmed the chair of the new NHS Birmingham, Black Country and Solihull ICB cluster.
Oum was previous role chair of NHS Coventry and Warwickshire ICB for more than three years. She has also held roles at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, and the Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
Oum said: ‘The Government has outlined the task for us for the next 10 years and I'm looking forward to realising this vision with colleagues in Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull.'
It has also been confirmed that Dr Kathy McLean has been appointed as the chair designate for the new cluster of Derby and Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICBs. Dr McLean already working as chair of Derby and Derbyshire ICB and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB. The current chair of Lincolnshire ICB, Dr Gerry McSorley, had already planned to retire this September.
Dr McLean was medical director at Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for more than six years, where she was also a consultant physician at the trust from 1994 until 2009. Prior to this she was clinical transitions director, helping to build the NHS Commissioning Board, which is now NHS England.
She was also chair of University Hospitals Derby and Burton until 2022, has sat as a non-executive director at Barts Health and Barking Havering and Redbridge NHS Trusts.
Meanwhile, it has also been confirmed that NHS Kent and Medway chair Cedi Frederick will remain in post for a further three years.
Frederick said: ‘I recognise this is a time of real uncertainty for colleagues across integrated care boards, but I commit to being as open and transparent as we have been about the change programme and to making sure the board fulfils its leadership role for the organisation.'
Ian Smith will become the chair of the Surrey Heartlands ICB and Sussex ICB cluster. Stephen Lightfoot, outgoing chair at NHS Sussex, had already announced his intention to retire from the end of September.
Smith said: ‘I firmly believe that bringing Surrey and Sussex together – whilst continuing to work closely with our partners in both systems – will benefit system working, create better value for money for the taxpayer, and ultimately improve health outcomes for patients and residents.'
He added: ‘These changes offer a real opportunity to make a step-change in how we consider population health and collaborate with partners across both health and care systems, including at the most local level, to improve outcomes and create more joined up care for local people.'
Priya Singh will remain as chair of both Frimley and Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire ICBs as they form a cluster arrangement. There will also be no change to chairs at Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB, where Lena Samuels will remain in post.
In addition, Ian Green has been confirmed as the chair of the newly-formed cluster between NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICBs.
Over the past 15 years, Green has held non-executive director posts within the NHS, including chair of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, non-executive director of the South-Central Ambulance Trust Board and, more recently, chair of NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin.
He said: 'New to both organisations, I look forward to getting to know the teams and supporting them as they collaborate to deliver the Government's new 10-Year Health Plan and achieve positive outcomes for patients and communities across the region.'
Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, interim chief executive of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB, said: 'We want to make sure we're offering local communities across the cluster the very best health and care services we possibly can. With Ian's help, our teams will build on our joint best practice and move forward to deliver the NHS 10-Year Plan on the strongest footing.'
Simon Whitehouse, chief executive of NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, added: 'Ian brings with him a breadth of experience which I know will benefit both our organisations, our respective health and care systems and the people we serve.'
