Welcome to the Triangle – July 2025
Hello and welcome to the July edition of the Triangle.
As is often said, there is never a quiet time in the NHS, and the last few weeks have been no exception.
The government has published its long-awaited 10-Year Plan for the NHS, we have received the Dash review into patient safety, resident doctors have again announced plans to stage industrial action and, closer to home, there is to be a change to the leadership of our ICB.
As some of you may have already heard, Sue Harriman, our Chief Executive Officer, will be stepping down in September, ahead of taking on a new role within Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
I would like to extend my congratulations to Sue on her appointment as the trust’s new chief executive, especially at this current time, when provider organisations are going through significant change.
While we as an ICB are of course very sad to see Sue leave, we offer our most sincere thanks for her exceptional leadership and wish her all the very best as she prepares for this exciting new challenge.
I’m pleased that Sue will continue to lead our organisation through the clustering process with Dorset and Somerset ICBs for the rest of the time she is with us.
Those of you who are already frequent visitors to our online pages will have seen lots of content published recently on the government’s new 10-Year Plan for the NHS.
Released at the beginning of this month, the plan outlines the three strategic shifts that are needed in order to bring care closer to home for millions of people.
These shifts are:
- hospital to community
- analogue to digital
- sickness to prevention
Since the ICB was established in July 2022, we have instinctively harnessed these three shifts, and have used them to underpin the transformative work that we have been driving forward over the past three years.
It is reaffirming to know that our local aims now reflect what will be happening to the NHS at a national level, and we couldn’t be more proud of our colleagues who have helped to put us at the front of the pack.
Their hard work, ambition and dedication have been instrumental in delivering many of the tangible initiatives that align with what the government wants to see from its health service over the coming years.
So, while there is uncertainty in our midst, specifically around the future form and function of ICBs, there is now also room hope and reason for optimism.
I would encourage all our readers to take the time to get acquainted with the plan, especially as so many of you will have helped to shape its content by participating in the mammoth engagement exercise which took place at the end of last year.
Links to where you can the read the 10-Year Health Plan in full, as well as the shorter summary and easy-read versions, are included in this issue of the Triangle.
Elsewhere, it is not just the soaring summer temperatures that are posing a challenge to our local NHS, but also the fresh wave of industrial action that has been announced by resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors and will take place over five days between Friday 25 and Wednesday 30 July.
As happened during previous strikes, we will be working closely with our hospital colleagues to ensure that essential urgent and emergency care services can continue safely.
Advice for patients with planned appointments, as well as information on where people can go for health and care during the industrial action, will be shared closer to the time, and we would be grateful if readers of the Triangle could support us in sharing these important messages.
Please send questions about anything mentioned in this edition of the Triangle to bswicb.communications@nhs.net.
With best wishes for a peaceful and relaxing summer,
Stephanie Elsy,
Chair,
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board