ICBs exempt from performance regime

Integrated care boards will not be put into performance “segments” in 2025-26, while they go through major reorganisation and job cuts, NHS England has decided.

Its NHS Oversight Framework for 2025-26, finalised on Thursday after more than a year of development, says integrated care boards should this year focus on cutting their running costs by 50 per cent alongside delivery, and changing their role to match the model ICB blueprint.

ICBs already subject to the “recovery support programme” intervention will stay in it, and be monitored by NHS England.

But while trusts will be given a one (best) to five (worst) performance segment, ICBs will this year not be segmented.

This NOF will apply for one year, the document says, and be changed for 2026-27 based on the 10-Year Health Plan and the new “operating model” it will propose. It suggests it will be applied to ICBs again in the future, but other documents suggest they may be subject to a separate commissioning capability regime.

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Source: HSJ, 30 June 2025