ICB expects one in 10 beds to close

England’s largest integrated care board (ICB) expects to need almost a tenth fewer hospital beds within a decade as it tries to close a projected financial gap that could reach £4bn.

West and North London ICB’s strategy, presented to its board this week, said its modelling suggests the system will need to move to around 5,700 beds by 2035-36 – 9.2 per cent below its current bed base of 6,279.

Read full article (paywalled).

Source: Health Service Journal, 23 October 2026