News and media releases from the Surrey Heartlands area
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NHS reform and changes to Integrated Care Boards
Earlier this year, the government announced significant changes to the NHS landscape aimed at strengthening roles and responsibilities across the wider NHS and reducing duplication, so more funding can be directed to frontline care.
These changes signal a leaner way of working, where every part of the NHS is clear on their purpose, what they are accountable for, and to whom, and will help support delivery of the recently published 10-year Health Plan to improve outcomes for patients and communities.
As part of this NHS reform, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have been asked to significantly reduce their operating costs (by approximately 50%) and focus on their critical role as strategic commissioners - working to improve population health, reduce inequalities and improve access to more consistent high-quality care.
This represents a step-change in ICBs’ leadership and responsibilities and an opportunity to create a fundamentally different kind of organisation focused on improving the health of our local population.
After careful consideration, the Boards of NHS Surrey Heartlands and NHS Sussex agreed to pursue plans to collaborate and create a new organisation spanning the two counties. In summary, our collective plan sets out a vision for one ICB working over Surrey and Sussex (including the Farnham and Surrey Heath areas of Surrey which currently sit within the Frimley system). This plan was submitted to NHS England on 31 May 2025 and has received formal support from ministers and NHS England.
We are now working to create a brand-new organisation from 1 April 2026, responsible for a population of just over three million.
Read more about the detail of NHS reform in Surrey and Sussex