ICB chair steps down to join double-merger trust
An integrated care board chair is leaving her role to join an integrated trust in the West Country, it has been announced.
Rima Makarem will stand down from Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB in December to become chair of Somerset Foundation Trust, which she will join early next year.
As the recruitment process for a new BLMK chair gets underway, deputy Manjeet Gill will serve as interim chair.
Somerset FT is England’s largest integrated trust and was formed out of two mergers. In 2018, work began to merge Taunton and Somerset Foundation Trust with Somerset Partnership FT, which resulted in the creation of Somerset FT – the country’s first mainland acute, community and mental health provider.
In late 2020, SFT announced plans to merge with Yeovil Hospital FT. This was completed in April 2023, making it the sole provider trust local to the county. It also operates a significant number of GP practices, and is increasingly seen as a model for an integrated local provider model.
Ms Makarem said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my last four-and-a-half years in BLMK, and I have a true fondness for the local population and the rich and diverse communities it represents.
“I am grateful to all our partners for their support and challenge throughout my time as chair.
“I believe that the BLMK system has completely transformed itself into a dynamic and enterprising partnership with strong foundations to achieve its mission of helping people live longer, healthier lives.”
On joining Somerset, she added: “I am excited to work with Peter [Lewis, Somerset FT’s chief executive] and his team on making a real impact on the health of the population of Somerset.”
Ms Makarem joined the BLMK system in June 2020 before becoming substantive chair when ICBs were established in July 2022.
She previously worked in the global pharmaceutical sector and was senior independent director and audit chair of NICE and audit chair and external commissioner at the House of Commons Commission.
The long-serving NHS board member was also audit chair at NHS London during the 2012 reforms and oversaw the transfer of services to newly formed clinical commissioning groups and NHS England.
Mr Lewis added: “We are excited to welcome Rima to Somerset. We have worked for many years to create a unique trust that provides primary care, community services, mental health and learning disability services and acute services.
“We want to continue…to play our part in the health of the people in Somerset and deliver outstanding integrated care. We believe that Rima will play a very important role in supporting us to achieve this.”
Ms Makarem will replace Colin Drummond as chair of Somerset FT, who announced his plans to retire in April after 10 years in the role.