THE chair of the new NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS Devon ICB Cluster has been announced as John Govett.

The NHS Devon ICB Cluster refers to a formal arrangement where NHS Devon and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB are working together under a single board and leadership structure, ahead of a potential formal merger.

John Govett will take up his new role from September, ahead of the first cluster board meeting.

John said: “We now need to shift our focus to delivering both the ten-year plan and to further supporting our providers in delivering in-year 25/26 budgets and operational plans to improve services and outcomes for local people.

“We are working across our cluster to bring closer working between our ICBs, acute trusts, voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; primary care, mental health providers, local authorities and others to transform how we commission and contract health services for our communities.

“We will consider the impact on our staff and service provision while also ensuring the re-structure of our ICBs is fit-for-purpose for the NHS ten-year plan ahead of us all.

“This is a time of significant change and I know that brings uncertainty. But I also know that across our system we have extraordinary people, staff, clinicians, leaders, partners and volunteers who continue to innovate and deliver in the face of complex challenges.

“We will continue the work we have supported getting underway in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.

“I am also particularly looking forward to working more closely with teams in Devon to ensure our new cluster board supports continued improvement through integrated and community-focused care from where ever that develops, along with delivery of in-year plans.

“We will also gain clarity of how we locally plan to achieve the NHS ten-year plan as ICBs and as a wider health and care system.”