The appointments follow the decision by the boards of each organisation to collaborate more closely and combine expertise and leadership as strategic commissioners to deliver for south London as a whole.

Bland has performed a system leadership role in south east London since 2012, as ICB chief executive and CCG accountable officer before that. He led the south east London Partnership to become the first ICS in London in 2019, performing the ICS lead role thereafter. He is also the London lead for primary care transformation and currently leads on neighbourhood health service development in the capital.

Bland, who joined the health service in 2000 as a management trainee, has worked in London for the past 25 years.

Sir Richard Douglas, joint chair for NHS South East London and NHS South West London, said: ‘By collaborating where it makes sense to do so, we can add real value to patient care, while recognising the distinct role each ICB plays in supporting local people and communities throughout their lives.

‘With Andrew's leadership, our organisations are well placed to realise the benefits of these new arrangements over the coming years.'

Bland said: ‘While we are clear we will remain two separate organisations – we now have the opportunity to learn and develop together as we deliver the ambitions we have for local people and those set out in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan.

‘By collaborating where it makes sense to do so, we can pool expertise, experience, and leadership for the benefit of the communities of south London.'

Katie Fisher, who was chief executive of NHS South West London ICB and South West London ICS, becomes interim chief executive of NHS North Central and North West London ICBs.