Turbulent ICB appoints first permanent CEO in two years

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board has appointed its first substantive CEO in two years.

Nick Broughton, who was previously CEO of Oxford Health, takes on the role after more than a year as interim. This makes him the first permanent postholder at the integrated care board since James Kent quit in September 2022. 

Dr Broughton took on the interim job in May last year, on secondment from his role as CEO of Oxford Health Foundation Trust. He replaced Steve McManus, who had also been an interim, and returned to his permanent post at Royal Berkshire FT.

Dr Broughton was previously chief executive of Southern Health FT, which he led from a Care Quality Commission rating of “requires improvement” to “good”, and of Somerset Partnership FT.

He also had a career as a consultant psychiatrist for more than 20 years, holding medical and clinical director roles. 

The ICB has also been without a substantive chair since Javed Khan went on a “period of extended leave” in April last year, amid wider concerns about unstable leadership, poor relationships and staff dissatisfaction. The ICB confirmed in January that the former charity leader had stepped down. 

It is in dispute with Oxfordshire County Council over its axing of “place directors” and centralising their teams, which it has proposed as part of efforts to reduce running costs. In July, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West apologised to the council for a lack of enagement and said that it is “not doing our job properly on multiple aspects”.

BOB ICB acting chair Sim Scavazza congratulated Dr Broughton, adding: “It is a real benefit to us that he has been in the role for more than a year; he knows the BOB system very well, its challenges and its strengths.”

Dr Broughton said: “I am looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues at the ICB, system partners and our wider stakeholders building on the foundations and relationships we have in place.”

Oxford Health told HSJ it “will now look to recruit a permanent chief executive”.