Chair appointed across integrated care boards

Ian Smith, currently chair of NHS Surrey Heartlands, will take up the role

A new chair has been appointed across the Surrey and Sussex integrated care boards (ICBs) as part of changes taking place across the NHS.

Ian Smith, currently chair of NHS Surrey Heartlands, will take up the role, as ICBs across England work to become strategic commissioners, delivering ambitions set out in a recently published 10-Year Health Plan.

As part of the reforms, the number of ICBs - responsible for planning and commissioning local health services - is expected to reduce nationally from 42 to 26.

NHS Surrey Heartlands and NHS Sussex put forward plans to NHS England in May to work collaboratively across the two counties and form one ICB from next year.

The two boards will start coming together under a shared chair and chief executive, who is still to be appointed, from October with plans to create a new organisation from April 2026.

Mr Smith said: "It is a great privilege to be appointed as chair across two successful integrated care boards.

"I look forward to working with colleagues in both health and care systems to build on these successes as we work to create more joined up and integrated pathways for our patients and residents."

Stephen Lightfoot, the outgoing chair at NHS Sussex, announced his intention to retire from the end of September.

He said: "Over the last three years, both ICBs in Surrey and Sussex have started making improvements in local NHS services to improve health outcomes and reduce the health inequalities for the populations we serve.

"As a Sussex resident myself, I wish Ian all the very best as he leads the new organisation to deliver this."