The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has announced its chief executive for a new statutory body.

Shane Devlin has announced as the chief executive of the new statutory body will form part of the wider Integrated Care System (ICS) for the area, known as the Healthier Together Partnership.

Shane will be responsible for overseeing complex services and population health improvement programmes for a population of just over one million people.

The appointment follows a nationally run competitive process to secure chief executives for ICBs across England, ahead of the bodies coming into being in April 2022.

Shane has been chief executive of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland, since March 2018, and was previously chief executive of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

Shane will be relocating to the area, and takes up his new role early next year.

Speaking about his appointment, Shane said: “It’s a real privilege to be taking on this role as Integrated Care Systems progress towards statutory status.

"It’s clear that fantastic work is going on across the whole health and care system. The importance placed on partnership and collaboration is evident from the conversations I’ve had so far.

"I’m really looking forward to getting started and to hearing from a range of people – citizens, colleagues and communities – on how we can build on this foundation and secure a vibrant and sustainable future for services.”

Jeff Farrar, chair-designate of the Integrated Care System for the CCG, said: “We are delighted to be benefiting from Shane’s considerable skill and experience. He brings a wealth of leadership expertise from previous healthcare roles and a deep commitment to public service."

A Health and Care Bill that will put Integrated Care Systems on a statutory footing - to be comprised of new Integrated Care Boards and a wider Integrated Care Partnership - is currently progressing through Parliament.

Like every organisation of its kind in the country, the CCG will be dissolved, with the vast majority of staff transferring across to the new organisation.

The changes are set to commence from April 2022 and are designed to accelerate the progress made in recent years to better integrate health and care services around people’s needs.