In London, NHS care is planned and paid for by 4 integrated care boards (ICBs), each covering a group of boroughs. Hospitals are run by NHS trusts, many of which run more than one hospital. GP surgeries, pharmacies, the London Ambulance Service and NHS 111 make up the rest of the services most people use.
- 4 integrated care boardsPlan NHS services, set budgets and pay for care
- NHS trustsRun hospitals, and some run mental health, community or ambulance services
- GP surgeriesFor most health problems, the first place to go
- Community pharmaciesAdvice on minor illnesses and medicines without an appointment
- London Ambulance ServiceHandles 999 calls and NHS 111 calls
- NHS 111For medical help now when it is not an emergency
Integrated care boards (ICBs)
An integrated care board is the local NHS organisation that plans NHS services for its area, sets budgets and checks how well services are working. It pays for GP, hospital, mental health and community services. ICBs replaced clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in July 2022.
London had 5 ICBs until 31 March 2026. On 1 April 2026, the North Central London and North West London ICBs joined to become NHS West and North London. London now has 4 ICBs.
| Integrated care board | Boroughs |
|---|---|
| NHS West and North London | Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Enfield, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster |
| NHS North East London | Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest |
| NHS South East London | Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark |
| NHS South West London | Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth |
Borough names link to our hospital pages for that borough, where we have one. See all London hospitals.
Each ICB works with local councils, charities and community groups in a wider partnership called an integrated care system (ICS).
NHS trusts and the hospitals they run
NHS hospitals are run by NHS trusts and foundation trusts. One trust often runs several hospitals, sometimes in different boroughs. Other trusts run mental health services, community services or the ambulance service.
Hospital waiting times are published for the whole trust, not for each hospital. Our hospital pages show the trust that runs each hospital and its waiting times.
| Area | Trust | Hospitals |
|---|---|---|
| West and North London | Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust | The Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital |
| University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | University College Hospital | |
| Whittington Health NHS Trust | The Whittington Hospital | |
| Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust | St Mary’s Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith Hospital | |
| London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust | Northwick Park Hospital, Ealing Hospital | |
| Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, West Middlesex University Hospital | |
| North East London | Barts Health NHS Trust | The Royal London Hospital, Whipps Cross University Hospital, Newham University Hospital |
| Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | Homerton University Hospital | |
| Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust | Queen’s Hospital, King George Hospital | |
| South East London | Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust | St Thomas’ Hospital, Guy’s Hospital |
| King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | King’s College Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital | |
| Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust | University Hospital Lewisham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital | |
| South West London | St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | St George’s Hospital |
| Croydon Health Services NHS Trust | Croydon University Hospital | |
| Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust | Kingston Hospital | |
| Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust | St Helier Hospital |
This is not a full list. London also has specialist hospitals, mental health trusts, community hospitals and private hospitals. Browse all hospitals in London or compare hospitals.
GP surgeries and primary care networks
For most health problems, your GP surgery is the first place to go. Everyone in England can register with a GP surgery for free. You usually register near where you live. See how to register with a GP surgery.
GP surgeries in an area work together in primary care networks. These link GP surgeries with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services, especially for people with long-term conditions.
Community pharmacies
Pharmacists can give advice on minor illnesses and medicines without an appointment. Through Pharmacy First, most pharmacies in England can also treat 7 common conditions. Find pharmacies in London by borough.
London Ambulance Service
The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides emergency and urgent care for everyone in London, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It handles 999 calls and NHS 111 calls. Some patients are helped over the phone instead of being sent an ambulance.
Call 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.
NHS 111
NHS 111 is free and available 24 hours a day. Use 111 online (for ages 5 and over), the NHS App, or call 111 if you need medical help now but it is not an emergency. 111 can tell you where to go, such as an urgent treatment centre, a pharmacy or an out-of-hours GP. If you are deaf, you can use the NHS 111 British Sign Language service. See where to go for urgent care or find urgent care near you.
Who to contact about a problem
- Problems with care at a hospital: talk to the staff or the hospital’s PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service).
- Complaints about GP, dental, pharmacy, optician or hospital services: complain to the service itself, or to your local ICB, but not both.
- If you are still not happy at the end of the complaints process: the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Read more about your rights and how to complain.
NHS organisations in London change from time to time. We checked the ICBs and the boroughs they cover against official NHS websites on 22 October 2026.
Sources
We checked this guide against these official pages on 22 October 2026.
- Find your local integrated care board (ICB) (NHS website)
- About the ICB (NHS West and North London)
- NHS West and North London (boroughs served) (NHS West and North London)
- NHS North West London ICB (notice of merger) (NHS North West London)
- NHS North East London (boroughs served) (NHS North East London)
- South East London ICS (areas) (South East London ICS)
- NHS South West London (boroughs) (NHS South West London)
- Primary Care Networks (South East London ICS)
- Urgent and emergency care (NHS West and North London)
- About us (London Ambulance Service)
- How to register with a GP surgery (NHS website)
- How pharmacies can help (NHS website)
- When to use NHS 111 online or call 111 (NHS website)
- Feedback and complaints about NHS services (NHS England)
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