The creation of the Thames Valley Integrated Care Board
- Healthwatch Wokingham
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
There are big changes taking place within the NHS as part of the Government's 10-year plan to help improve healthcare for everyone in England. Some of these changes will affect how local services are planned and delivered across the borough and county of Berkshire.
What is an ICB?
Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are NHS organisations that plan and fund local health and care services. They work with GPs, hospitals, councils, and other partners to:
Improve overall health in communities
Reduce health inequalities
Ensure access to high-quality care for everyone
What’s changing?
As part of the Government's 10-year plan, ICBs will:
Focus more on local health needs, helping people stay well, not just treating illness
Share responsibilities with local hospitals and councils, so decisions are made closer to communities
Reduce running costs by working more efficiently
Collaborate across regions to reduce duplication and improve services
Changes in Thames Valley
A new NHS Thames Valley ICB is being created to serve 2.5 million people across:
Buckinghamshire
Oxfordshire
Berkshire
Thames Valley ICB will officially launch in April 2026. In the meantime:
East Berkshire has joined the new group
Surrey Heath, Ash & Farnham will join Surrey & Sussex ICB
North East Hampshire will join Hampshire & Isle of Wight ICB
Why this matters?
The aim is to:
Bring care closer to home and to make services work together better
Make sure everyone gets the same quality of care, no matter where they live
Spend NHS money more carefully and avoid waste
Plan services that match what local people actually need
For more information about these changes, please visit: NHS Thames Valley ICB: update on changes to Integrated Care Boards | BOB ICB
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