New Chief Medical Officer designate appointed to Integrated Care Board for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

4 May 2022

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) has appointed Dr Joanne Medhurst as its Chief Medical Officer designate.

The ICB is the new statutory body within the wider Integrated Care System (ICS) for the area, known as the Healthier Together Partnership. Following Royal Assent of the Health and Care Bill last week, ICBs will come into being across the country on July 1st 2022.

As Chief Medical Officer for the ICB, Joanne will be responsible for developing a clinical strategy, providing senior clinical leadership to colleagues across the health and care system, and ensuring high-quality services for a population of just over one million people.

Joanne is General Practitioner (GP) and current Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive at the Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, where she has worked since December 2012. The Trust provides a range of services to a diverse population of 2.8 million people.

As the Responsible Officer, Joanne and leads on clinical effectiveness, quality improvement and innovation and recently on population health. She was the pandemic accountable officer and Director of Infection Prevention and Control, and has supported regional implementation of the Virtual Ward Programme.

Joanne has held previous roles including joint Managing Director and Medical Director of the NHS Southeast London Bexley Business Support Unit and in GP education. In 2013 she participated in the Generation Q Masters programme and remains a Fellow of the Health Foundation.

Speaking on her appointment, she said:

“I am excited and privileged to be appointed to this role and look forward to joining the ICB as it comes into place from 1 July.

“The development of the organisation provides us with a unique opportunity to put population health at the heart of all we do in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire – improving outcomes and experience for everyone.”

Shane Devlin, CEO-designate of the Integrated Care Board, added:

“I am delighted to be welcoming Joanne to the organisation and my executive team.

“Joanne brings a wealth of clinical and operational expertise, as well as experience leading transformational change. This will be hugely valuable as we develop the ICB and continue to make the health, care and wellbeing improvements that matter most to people.”