Chair Appointed to NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon

The new Chair of the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS Devon ICB Cluster has been confirmed as John Govett, following approval by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

John will take up his role from 1st September, just ahead of the first cluster Board meeting. At that meeting, he hopes to also confirm the new aligned group of ICBs’ and Cluster Non-Executive Directors, along with the governance and committee arrangements.

Focus on the NHS 10-Year Plan

Describing his appointment as a privilege, John said:

“We now need to shift our focus to delivering both the 10-year plan and to further supporting all our providers in delivering in-year 25/26 budgets and operational plans to improve services and outcomes for local people that together we jointly signed off back in the Spring.”

He added that work is already underway across the cluster footprint to strengthen collaboration between ICBs, acute trusts, the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, primary care, mental health providers and local authorities.

Building on Strong Foundations

John acknowledged the contribution of Kevin Orford, outgoing Chair of NHS Devon, who stepped down on 31st August.

“I want to take a moment to thank Kevin Orford, outgoing Chair of NHS Devon, for his leadership and contribution to the Devon system and beyond. Kevin, who announced some time ago that he would be stepping down, has confirmed that he will now do so on 31 August. He is very well respected across the county, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations he has helped put in place.”

Preparing for the Future

John said the restructure will be shaped around the needs of staff, service provision and the NHS 10-year plan.

“This is a time of significant change, and I know that brings uncertainty. But I also know that across our system we have extraordinary people, staff, clinicians, leaders, partners and volunteers who continue to innovate and deliver in the face of complex challenges.”

He added that he is looking forward to working closely with teams in Cornwall, Isles of Scilly and Devon, focusing on integrated and community-based care, delivery of in-year plans and preparing for the 2026/27 and 5-year planning cycles.

“I am fully committed to providing strong, stable leadership as we enter this new phase, with a clear focus on delivering for the people and communities we serve.”

A new cluster Chief Executive is expected to be announced shortly, with further updates promised.

More on the South West cluster chairs can be found here