The government has announced an independent review into oversight of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes across the country. It will explore how best to cut through red tape and boost efficiency, financial accountability and autonomy, with fewer national targets.
The review will be led by former Health Secretary the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt who is currently Chair of NHS Norfolk & Waveney Integrated Care Board, and will explore how to empower local leaders to focus on improving outcomes for their populations. This includes giving them greater control and making them more accountable for performance and spending, reducing the number of national targets, enhancing patient choice and making the healthcare system more transparent.
ICSs are a crucial part of the government’s vision to bring together the NHS and local government to jointly deliver for local communities and boost access to care. Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay says: “I’m focused on supporting the health and care system through what we know will be a challenging winter but also crucially making the changes that will better prepare us for the future.
“Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach dictated from a ministerial office, local leaders are best placed to make decisions about their local populations and I want to empower them to find innovative solutions to tackle problems and improve care for patients. Fewer top-down national targets and greater transparency will help us deliver this aim and I am grateful to Patricia Hewitt for agreeing to lead this vital review to help us get this right. I look forward to reviewing her findings.”
Patricia Hewitt adds: “By bringing together local government, the NHS and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, ICSs provide the biggest opportunity in a generation to improve health outcomes, transform health and care services and reduce health inequalities. Despite the many challenges we face, I am excited by how much has already been achieved in many different systems, including in Norfolk and Waveney, and optimistic about what our partnerships can do in future as we respond to the different needs of our own communities.
“This review will focus on how national policy and regulation can most effectively support and enable local systems to solve problems locally. It will build on the welcome work already done by NHS England to develop a new operating model.
“I look forward to working with colleagues from all 42 ICSs as well as DHSC, NHSE, colleagues in local government and others as we respond to the Health Secretary’s and the Chancellor’s invitation to help create a system of regulation and accountability based on the principle that change should be locally led and nationally enabled.”
This review will consider:
* The scope for a smaller number of national targets to empower local health and care leaders and enable greater autonomy, so they have the time and resource to focus on innovating and tackling local challenges and priorities
• How local performance could be better monitored and any local targets set, with a focus on transparency
• How to ensure new ICSs are held robustly to account, both locally and nationally.
• The relationship between ICSs, and central bodies, such as NHS England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC), as well as the CQC’s role in oversight of ICSs.
An interim report is expected before the end of the year, with a final report in the new year, which will inform the NHS’s objectives and planning. The review will draw upon the expertise of ICS leaders, NHS England and other experts including in academia, government and relevant think tanks, as well as local government, voluntary sector and patient representatives.
