Welcome to the Triangle – May 2025
Welcome to the latest issue of the Triangle. We hope you have found time to enjoy the recent warm weather, and are looking forward to hearing about the latest news from across the NHS in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.
At the time of our last letter, we shared the news that ICBs had been told to significantly reduce running costs and shift to a more strategic role with different responsibilities for us and other parts of our health and care system.
This is part of the wider NHS reform programme to reduce management costs and focus more money on the front line.
Across the country, ICBs are in the process of redesigning how they could work to best meet the needs of their local population.
Guidance from NHS England indicates that, to fulfil future functions effectively and sustainably, ICBs need to work on larger footprints, serving larger populations and take into account any new strategic local authority boundaries emerging from the local government reform process.
As a result, BSW, Somerset and Dorset ICBs are exploring plans to cluster together. This proposal is still at an early stage and no decisions have been made. As soon as we have more information, we will share it with you.
This change is significant, but we believe it will bring real benefits to the health and wellbeing of local people and communities, while ensuring that there is even better value for money for the taxpayer.
Focusing more on the day-to-day, it is still business as usual within the ICB and we have some great initiatives to highlight.
The number of eligible people coming forward for their Covid-19 booster vaccine is currently above the national and regional averages, with our uptake currently at 47 per cent, compared to 35 per cent for England and 44 per cent for the South West.
Locally, we have a strong track record of ensuring our most vulnerable stay protected against Covid-19, which – as we all remember from the pandemic – can be life-threatening for people who are older or living with a weakened immune system.
Elsewhere, it’s full steam ahead for the new Trowbridge Integrated Care Centre, with construction having now reached its highest point.
This milestone will be marked at a special topping-out event next month, with colleagues from the ICB, Trowbridge Town Council and Wiltshire Council, along with staff currently working at Trowbridge Community Hospital all expected to attend.
We’ll be sure to share the photos in the next edition of the Triangle but, for now, do keep everything crossed for a sunny day.
ICB staff are currently on a tour of community locations in and around Trowbridge, where they are sharing information about the new centre and answering any questions residents may have.
A full list of where they will be and when is included in this issue.
Before we sign off, the late spring bank holiday, which falls at the end of this month, is likely to add extra pressure to our already very busy urgent and emergency care services.
We’ll be sharing messages across our social media channels of how people can support their NHS over the long weekend, so please help us in spreading the word as far and as wide as possible.
Thank you for your continued interest in all that we do.
Sue Harriman and Stephanie Elsy,
Chief Executive Officer and Chair,
Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board