On 1 April, 2026, NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board was established to plan and oversee health and care services for the 2.5 million people who live in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Our creation brings together the former NHS Frimley and NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care Boards into a single organisation with one shared vision for improving health across the Thames Valley.
NHS Thames Valley is responsible for making sure the region’s £5.6 billion health budget is used in the best possible way. Its role is to look at the needs of local communities, decide what services are needed and work with hospitals, GP practices, community services, councils and voluntary groups to make sure people get high quality, joined up care.
Our vision
NHS Thames Valley will build a health and care system that:
- makes care easier to access, with more support available close to where people live;
- is fair for everyone, reducing the differences in health outcomes which exist across local communities;
- helps people stay well, by focusing on prevention and early help; and
- uses digital tools and innovation to improve care and make services simpler to navigate.
Our priorities
As NHS Thames Valley is establishing, we are prioritising:
- getting the most value from the services we fund, making sure investment improves outcomes;
- strengthening neighbourhood care, supporting local teams to deliver more services outside hospital;
- reducing health inequalities, especially for communities with the poorest health outcomes; and
- investing in prevention, helping people stay healthier for longer.
How we work
The establishment of NHS Thames Valley follows extensive engagement with local residents, NHS partners, councils and community organisations across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, as well as across the South East. This feedback has shaped our direction from day one. Together, we share a strong belief that care must be more joined up, more local and more focused on preventing illness.
As we move forward, we will continue working closely with partners across the region to improve health, reduce inequalities, and make sure services meet the needs of every community we serve.
Changes to ICBs
NHS Thames Valley was formed during a period of major NHS reform aimed at making care more joined up, fairer and more sustainable. As part of these national changes, Integrated Care Boards were given a stronger strategic role and required to work more efficiently, with closer collaboration across wider regions.
To support this shift, NHS Frimley and NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) ICBs entered a joint “clustering” arrangement in October 2025. This partnership, led by a shared Chair, Dr Priya Singh, and Chief Executive, Dr Nick Broughton, laid the foundations for bringing both organisations together into the new NHS Thames Valley.
During the transition, some areas moved to align with neighbouring integrated care boards (ICBs): East Berkshire joined the Thames Valley footprint, while Surrey Heath, Ash and Farnham aligned with NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB, and North East Hampshire aligned with NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. These changes created a more coherent geography for the new organisation. At the same time, ICBs across the South East continued to strengthen regional collaboration to improve quality and reduce duplication.
These steps laid the groundwork for the fully established NHS Thames Valley now serving the region.