Frances O’Callaghan has been appointed chief executive of both the North Central London and North West London Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), in a move paving the way for a full merger of the two NHS bodies – including those covering Ealing and 12 other boroughs – by 2026.
Ms O’Callaghan, who has led the North Central London ICB since 2022, will now also head the North West London board following the resignation of its previous chief executive, Rob Hurd. The dual role is designed to help the ICBs work more closely ahead of a formal merger planned for April 2026, creating what will become the largest ICB in England.
The new organisation, to be called the West and North London ICB, will serve around 4.5 million residents across 13 boroughs, including Ealing, Camden, Barnet and Westminster. NHS leaders say the merger aims to streamline commissioning, cut costs and tackle health inequalities across the capital.
As EALING.NEWS recently reported in July 2025, the boards backed the merger to meet national requirements for ICBs to halve their running costs and to improve coordination across boroughs where residents often use services beyond local boundaries. Critics, however, have warned that such large-scale mergers risk diluting local accountability and overstretching leadership.
Mike Bell, chair of both ICBs, praised O’Callaghan’s “impressive track record” and said the focus would be on “tackling inequalities and delivering high-quality care.”
O’Callaghan said she was “excited” to take on the expanded role, promising to ensure “diverse communities are heard” in shaping future NHS services.
, in a move paving the way for a full merger of the two NHS bodies - including those covering Ealing and 12 other boroughs - by 2026.){kind=link}