NHS Providers and the NHS Confederation announce new merged membership organisation
2 March 2026
The NHS Confederation and NHS Providers have announced the name of the new national membership organisation created from their merger in January.
Leadership
NHS Confederation and NHS Providers announce new merged membership organisation
The NHS Confederation and NHS Providers have announced the name of the new national membership organisation created from their merger in January, which will represent and support the health system across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
From April 2026, The NHS Alliance will bring NHS leadership together, represent their views to government, and support them to improve their services at a time of significant pressure and transformation for the NHS. Our purpose will be to help improve the NHS and the health of the people of the UK.
The merger, which was confirmed in January, marks a significant milestone, bringing together two established national bodies to strengthen the collective influence, insight and support for NHS trusts, primary care, integrated care boards and independent and voluntary sector providers.
Lord Victor Adebowale, chair of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers (and soon-to-be inaugural chair of The NHS Alliance), said:
“As the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, we have not come together to be bigger: we have come together to be braver, more influential and to provide greater support to our members.
“Our members told us clearly and consistently that the NHS needs a stronger and more unified voice, which can be used to speak with authority across the whole system. That is what I am determined The NHS Alliance will be.
“We will aim to provide outstanding support and value for money for our members, while bringing the collective weight of our membership in pursuit of a higher performing NHS and healthier nation.
“The NHS needs collective leadership right now and I am excited by what The NHS Alliance will deliver for all parts of the health and care system.”
As the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, we have not come together to be bigger: we have come together to be braver, more influential and to provide greater support to our members.
Chair
Sir Terence Stephenson, vice chair of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers (and soon-to-be vice chair of The NHS Alliance), said:
“We will exist to give our members the representation, the evidence, and the solidarity they need to lead through the hardest period that the NHS has faced in its history.
“The NHS needs a unified voice that can advocate on its behalf, influence national policy, and provide a safe space for health leaders to collaborate, connect and to improve the services that they provide for patients, staff and their wider communities.
“By bringing together the expertise from the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, The NHS Alliance will deliver just that for our members through more effective advocacy and support.”
The NHS Alliance will launch in April with Sir Ciarán Devane, currently chair of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland, as its inaugural chief executive.
Further details about The NHS Alliance, such as its branding, engagement channels (including its networks and forums) and its executive team will be announced in due course.