The new Integrated Care Board (ICB) launches on 1 April as part of the changes to the NHS which are in line with the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan and wider reforms of the NHS and public services. 

Frimley ICB and BOB ICB will cease to exist as separate statutory NHS bodies on 31 March 2026.

The new Thames Valley ICB will serve around 2.5 million people across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire, with a focus on strategic commissioning to improve population health, reduce inequalities, and ensure access to high-quality care.

Dr Nick Broughton (pictured) will become the new chief executive for the Thames Valley ICB with Dr Priya Singh taking on the role of chair.  More details on these changes here.

If you are eligible there is still time to have a free NHS flu jab to help protect against the virus which can cause serious illness. It is safe, effective, and the best way to protect yourself and loved ones.

Children aged 2 and 3 can get the flu vaccine via a nasal spray at some community pharmacies.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination is also available for eligible patients. This virus can cause serious breathing problems in babies, older adults, pregnant women and those with weakened immunity.

For details on how to access the vaccines visit the Stay Well website.

Why not quit the habit on this day? Smoking remains the largest preventable cause of cancer, responsible for about 1 in 4 cancer deaths in the UK.

Across BOB you can get support to stop smoking at:

• Oxfordshire: Smokefree Oxon – A Stop Smoking Service
• Buckinghamshire: Be Healthy Bucks - Home (maximusuk.co.uk)
• Berkshire: Stop Smoking Berkshire | Smokefreelife Berkshire

More information on stopping smoking is on the Better Health NHS website where you can download the 'NHS quit smoking app'. 

Baroness Amos is seeking insights and lived experiences from individuals, parents, families, and communities who have interacted with maternity or neonatal services. This 'Call for Evidence' will inform the investigation’s findings and recommendations and is open until 17 March 2026. More details on how to share your experiences here.

• Ovarian Cancer -  information on symptoms, early diagnosis and support for those affected by this cancer. More details here.
• Prostate Cancer -  encouraging people to get active and raise awareness of prostate cancer risk, testing and support. More details here.
• Bowel Cancer - focused on raising awareness of symptoms, screening and early diagnosis of colorectal cancer. More details here. 

If you're referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.

For more details and to find out if you are eligible to claim, visit the NHS website here.

Buckinghamshire’s neighbourhood programme brings together NHS, social care, and community partners to deliver coordinated and person-centred care.  

This approach builds on integrated working among partners that has been a key focus since April 2023. In addition, the local Health and Wellbeing Strategy places neighbourhoods at the heart of improving patient care.

Six Neighbourhoods have been set up across the county, each serving a population of 85,000-120,000 residents and they are aligned to the boundaries of Primary Care Networks (PCN) which are groups of GP practices working together. An integrated lead manages each Neighbourhood.

Partners include Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, PCNs, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, FedBucks (a federation of local GP practices), Buckinghamshire Council and voluntary sector organisations. You can watch a short video which explains the benefits of this way of working – watch the film here.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has appointed Raghuv Bhasin (pictured) as its permanent chief executive officer following a competitive recruitment process. 

Raghuv had been serving as the Trust’s interim chief executive officer since October 2025, having previously worked as the Trust's chief operating officer. More details here. 

Healthwatch Bucks wants people's views on managing their own health and wellbeing, around the following questions:

• How people feel about taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing?
• What people see as the role of the NHS in supporting their health and wellbeing?
• What helps people look after their health?
• What makes it harder to stay well or seek help early?

For more details and to take part in a survey please visit the Healthwatch Bucks website.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has been awarded funding to increase its ‘Lipid Accelerator Programme’ to tackle high cholesterol among patients.

Doctors will identify eligible patients with high cholesterol levels and a history of cardiovascular disease to receive a tailored treatment plan. 

This will include a range of medications to rapidly reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of having a further heart attack or stroke. More details here.

Over the past 18 months, Buckinghamshire has taken a major step forward in tackling health inequalities through the expansion of health coaching.

Supported by BOB ICB funding, more than 100 professionals from health, social care and the voluntary, community, social enterprise sector have been trained to work with residents every day.

Developed and delivered by the Buckinghamshire Health and Social Care Academy, the programme is driving a genuine culture shift. It provides staff with the skills and confidence to hold personalised, person‑centred conversations that support prevention, early action and care closer to home, in line with the NHS 10‑Year Health Plan.

A standout achievement has been training community health and wellbeing workers, community researchers from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and health coaches delivering a successful Prehab project, whose trusted relationships strengthen equity and access. Growing evidence shows clear improvements in workforce confidence and better experiences and outcomes for residents. More details here.

The service contributes to BOB ICB’s ambitions to keep people well and healthy and has received positive public feedback on the Healthwatch Bucks website.

The site has had 100 reviews highlighting the high‑quality support and personalised care patients get from the service. 

'Be Healthy Bucks' supports people to stop smoking, lose weight, drink less alcohol and take part in NHS Health Checks. More details here.

Callum Anderson MP visited Buckingham Community Hospital last month to meet staff and members of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (pictured). 

He was there to learn more about the Trust's current 10 year health strategy which includes delivering care closer to people's homes.

The MP for Buckingham and Bletchley also met with staff working in the frailty clinic at the hospital to see the personalised care patients receive. More details here. 

Buckinghamshire's first team of Community Health and Wellbeing Workers (pictured) is being introduced this spring. 

This new service will cover Castlefield in High Wycombe and Quarrendon in Aylesbury, with an additional  focus on street homeless support.

The service has been developed by Buckinghamshire's Place partners to address health inequalities. The team will provide outreach, home visits and community drop ins.

The ICB is funding the service which will be managed by FedBucks. More details here. 

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has launched 'Martha’s Rule', a national patient safety initiative.

This allows patients, families, carers and staff to request an urgent clinical review if concerns about a patient’s deteriorating condition remain unresolved.

Following a successful pilot scheme, the initiative is now in place across all inpatient areas at the Trust's four main hospital sites.

It was introduced nationally following the death of 13‑year‑old Martha Mills, who developed sepsis in hospital which led to the national rollout of 'Martha’s Rule' to ensure serious concerns are always heard and acted upon. More details here.

Pictured is the team behind the roll out of the initiative at the Trust. 

A one day retreat is being run for people diagnosed with cancer in their 20s, 30s or 40s. The free event is being held in Oxford on Saturday 28 March to deliver peer support, facilitated group sessions and practical coping tools in a relaxed setting. Friends, partners and carers are welcome to attend. Please register in advance. More details here.

TV actor Alex Kingston has publicly thanked two local clinicians for the 'warm, sensitive and incredible care' she received during her successful treatment for womb cancer.

Alex (pictured) who has appeared in TV shows like ER, Doctor Who and Moll Flanders, was discussing her diagnosis and treatment on BBC 5 Live to mark World Cancer Day in February this year.

She thanked Dr Christina Pappa, consultant gynaecologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, and Dr Sally Trent, consultant clinical oncologist at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, for their 'compassionate, excellent care'. 

More details on the website.

Lyn Lacey was recognised for her work as a carer during a reception at Windsor Castle hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Lyn has spent nearly three decades opening her home and her heart to support others as part of the local 'Shared Lives' scheme. The Royal reception shone a light on carers like Lyn (pictured with the king) and their contribution to health and social care in the United Kingdom.

Oxfordshire County Council's 'Shared Lives' provides support for adults and young people by matching them with an approved carer. This creates a stable foundation, connections in their community and a sense of belonging.  

More details on Shared Lives here 

Three patients have already undergone innovative brain surgery in Oxford to help treat chronic pain they have experienced since suffering a stroke.

The surgery involves deep brain stimulation to understand if it can help relieve central post-stroke pain, which is experienced by 1 in 12 stroke survivors - more details here.

You can listen to Alex Green, professor of neurosurgery (pictured) and Ben Seymour, professor of clinical neuroscience who have been trialling the procedure at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and describe the surgery on a podcast here.

People with learning disabilities will have a stronger voice in shaping and improving services and opportunities to provide them with better support. 

An agreement - 'The Deal' - has been struck between Oxfordshire County Council and My Life My Choice (MLMC), an organisation that helps people with learning disabilities.

It was developed by MLMC’s campaign champions, a group of learning-disabled activists, and reveals the county council’s commitment to working alongside people with lived experience. Read more about 'The Deal'

Pictured is Cllr Liz Leffman, leader of the county council signing the agreement with MLMC. 

The awards are an opportunity for local people to recognise the hard work and dedication of staff at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.  

There are two awards 'Improving Patients' Experience Award' and the 'Co-production Award' and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in June. 

For details on how to submit a nomination by 31 March 2026 visit the Trust website.

A project to improve research into conditions such as psychosis and schizophrenia is underway in Oxford.

The Severe Mental Illness Longitudinal Evaluation (SMILE) BioResource will invite 2,000 volunteers to share a blood or saliva sample and ask them about their health and clinical history.

The initiaitve aims to understand the causes of severe mental illness and to develop treatments to improve the quality of patients' lives. More details here.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is rolling out energy saving lights across its hospital sites.

The Trust has received £4.5m to install LED lighting at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre all based in Oxford, and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

The initiative will reduce energy bills and create savings that can be reinvested into frontline services, and reduce maintenance costs. More details here.

To commemorate the bicentenary of Warneford Hospital in Headington, Oxford, events are taking place throughout the year.

Explore 200 years of mental health history: A special touring exhibition has opened in the Museum of Oxford’s Old Cloakroom. Hear first‑hand accounts from former patients and staff, view historic photos and drawings, and see artefacts such as admission records and case books illustrating how the hospital has evolved. The exhibition moves to Oxford Brookes University on 28 March.

The History of the Warneford film: You can watch a specially-commissioned film exploring the hospital’s 200‑year journey from its origins: The History of the Warneford film - Warneford 200

Healthwatch Oxfordshire and Community First Oxfordshire are inviting health and care professionals to share their experiences of supporting people in rural communities across the county.

Please share your views on the challenges and opportunities of helping rural residents to stay healthy and well by completing this anonymous survey here.

This work forms part of a project commissioned by Oxfordshire County Council on understanding the barriers and opportunities to health and care in rural areas.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been named 'X-PERT Organisation of the Year' for its education programme for patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The programme supports patients to better understand and manage their condition through interactive sessions offered in person and online. Read more here.

Pictured are two Trust staff (left) Kirsten Baikoski, senior research nurse and lead education facilitator and Claire Rowell, senior diabetes specialist nurse with the awards.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with AccessAble to publish detailed accessibility guides for more than 45 hospitals, clinics and community sites across Berkshire.

The guides provide clear, practical information - including photos, parking details, step-free access and accessible facilities - to help people understand what to expect before they arrive. They can also be downloaded and shared.

The initiative aims to reduce barriers to care and support more inclusive access to services. Read more here.

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted in the Health Service Journal's Digital Awards.

The Trust's 'Community Virtual Frailty' service has been highlighted in the following category:

• Driving Virtual Wards and Hospital at Home through Digital.

The nomination highlights the Trust’s work to deliver more care at home through digital innovation and community-based support. Winners will be announced in May. Read more here.