The new organisation will cover the geographical footprint across Sussex and the whole of Surrey (including the Surrey Heath and Farnham areas of Surrey currently covered by the NHS Frimley ICB). NHS Frimley will not be part of the merger, however.

An NHS Sussex spokesperson said: ‘After careful consideration, the boards of the NHS Sussex and NHS Surrey Heartlands ICBs concluded in May 2025 that the only practical way to reliably fulfil their statutory and legal duties within the nationally-determined running cost allocation of £19 per head of weighted population, was to expand their geographical footprint across Sussex and the whole of Surrey (including the Surrey Heath and Farnham areas of Surrey currently covered by the NHS Frimley ICB).

‘Our proposal to work collaboratively is supported by NHS England and we are now working together on transition plans to create a new organisation from April 2026.'