The 10 Year Health Plan confirms that going forward Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will be mapped to strategic authority footprints, wherever feasible.
In Essex, plans towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority were recently approved, presenting an opportunity to align health care planning. You can find out more about devolution in Essex by visiting the Essex Local Government Reorganisation website.
The Government has approved proposals for a new Essex Integrated Care Board to be established from 1 April 2026.
The new ICB will bring together NHS Mid and South Essex ICB with the west Essex and north east Essex localities currently within NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB and Suffolk and North East Essex ICB.
Until the formal establishment of the Essex ICB, the three existing ICBs in Essex will remain separate legal entities and will retain accountability for planning and commissioning healthcare services for the population within their ICB areas and associated statutory responsibilities.
The three ICBs have agreed to create a Joint Committee – referred to as the Essex Joint Committee (EJC) – with delegated responsibility for discharging certain commissioning functions across the Essex geography and to oversee the transitional arrangements. You can view the committee meeting papers by clicking the links below.
Essex Joint Committee Papers – 22 January 2026 Essex Joint Committee Papers – 20 November 2025