New health body for Bedfordshire will cut costs by half

24 areas across Hampshire have been identified for new neighbourhood health plans as part of the government’s National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP).

placeholder image — 24 areas across Hampshire have been identified for new neighbourhood health plans as part of the government’s National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP).

Bedfordshire’s NHS commissioning arrangements are set to change, with the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) becoming part of a much larger regional organisation – the second-largest in England by population.

The Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB will join a new group called Central East ICB, which will also cover Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Hertfordshire. The change is expected to take effect in April 2026.

Papers presented to this week’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (November 3) said the new organisation will be responsible for around 3.5 million people.

The chief executive, chair and senior leadership team are already in place across the three existing ICBs.

The committee heard that ICBs are required to reduce running costs by 50 per cent by the end of 2025/26. Asked whether this would lead to job losses, councillors were told that this is unavoidable.

Dominic Woodward-Lebihan, director of strategy and population health at BLMK ICB, said: “It is not possible to take 50 per cent out of running costs without the reality of having fewer posts in the organisation.”

Members heard that every effort will be made to redeploy staff, but details of the restructure are still being worked through.

The intention is to reduce duplication and improve the use of NHS data, with the guiding principle being “what best serves our population”.

Ahead of the agenda item, councillor Dean Crofts (Lib Dem, Kingsbrook) asked how Bedford Borough Council will continue to scrutinise NHS services once the much larger ICB is in place.

The council currently participates in regional scrutiny through the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC). However, the committee heard that discussions on the new committee’s shape have not yet started.

Jacqueline Gray, senior officer and policy adviser (health) at the council, said: “As far as I’m aware, no discussions have taken place between the local authorities about the new shape of the JHOSC, it is obviously something we would need to pick up.”

For now, councillors were told the committee can continue to request information and attendance from NHS organisations in the usual way.

The report said a new Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Neighbourhood Health Delivery Committee has been proposed as part of new structure, but its powers and responsibilities are still being developed.

The committee asked for further reports as more information becomes available.