Leaders appointed in four more ICSs

ICBs are due to take on the functions of clinical commissioning groups when they are put on a statutory footing by the government’s health and social care bill in April 2022. There will be one ICB per integrated care system.

The new chairs have been announced as “chair designates” and will be confirmed pending the approval of the bill next year.

In one of the largest systems, West Yorkshire, Cathy Elliott has been appointed chair designate of the ICB.

She has been chair of Bradford District Care FT and co-chair of the ICS’s reference group for council leaders and NHS chairs. To date, the existing ICS structure has been chaired by Tim Swift, leader of Calderdale Council.

In another large system, Sir Richard Leese has been confirmed as chair designate for Greater Manchester’s ICB, having already chaired the existing ICS structures for the last 18 months. He has led Manchester Council for 25 years and plans to step down from that role in December.

Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt has been confirmed as chair designate of the Norfolk and Waveney ICB. She has chaired the existing ICS structures for the last four years.

Sue Symington, chair of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals FT, is set to chair the ICB in Humber Coast and Vale. To date, the ICS structures have been chaired by Stephen Eames.

Most chair designates were appointed in the summer, so a total of 29 out of 42 have now been confirmed.

Another large ICS, Cheshire and Merseyside, has failed to appoint a chair for a second time, and will continue with interim chair David Flory until a further recruitment drive next year.

The remaining 12 ICSs either said they were not ready to announce their ICB chairs, or did not respond to enquiries.

ICBs will work with councils to implement integrated care partnership boards for each system, which will be tasked with developing the area’s health and care strategy. ICB chairs are also allowed to chair the ICP board providing they are not councillors or MPs or work for any of their constituent organisations.

Ms Symington was also described as chair designate for the ICP board in Humber Coast and Vale, but this was not specified for the West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester or Norfolk and Waveney appointments.

For the full list of chair designates, and systems yet to announce a chair, see HSJ’s map of ICS leadership.