Agenda item

To note the next steps to building strong and effective integrated care systems across England.

Andrew Bennett, Executive Director of Commissioning, Integrated Care Service, Lancashire and South Cumbria presented the report and presentation attached to the agenda, which detailed Integrating care: Next steps to building strong and effective integrated care systems across England, which was published by NHS England and Improvement in November 2020.  The report also introduces the keymessages from the consultation document and the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) response to the consultation which was submitted on 8 January 2021. The outcomes of that process are still awaited and discussion at this meeting, on potential changes are subject to the outcomes of the consultation and a process of legislation through parliament.  The consultation is suggesting that there are further ways to strengthen and collaborate working arrangements.  The purpose behind the reforms is directly relevant to Health and Wellbeing Boards with a reference to improving population health and health care, tackling unequal outcomes and access, enhancing productivity and value for money and enabling all the main organisations of the Health and Wellbeing Board to support social and economic development.

There were two options presented to support the continued development of integrated partnership models for health and care systems in England:

·  Option 1: a statutory Integrated Care System (ICS) Board/Joint Committee with an Accountable Officer. In this option, there would be one aligned Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) only per Integrated Care System (ICS) footprint, and new powers would allow that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are able to delegate many of its population health functions to providers.

·  Option 2: a statutory corporate NHS body model that additionally brings CCG statutory functions into the Integrated Care System (ICS).

Discussions ensued and it was noted that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Local Authority has established up a Social Care Cell, which ostensibly is focusing its response to the vulnerable adult population.  Throughout the pandemic there has been a great strength in partnership in a very difficult and challenging situation, emphasising the strength of a place-based approach and recognising the challenges faced a key priority will continue to be population health and wellbeing across all ages.  There has also been a redesign of the Children and Families Wellbeing and Education Services on the Integrated Care Partnership footprint, so that the Local Authority can better collaborate with partners to both target and meet need.

It was also noted that more detailed guidance is expected that is referred to in the document which will be helpful and that the place-based approach across the NHS and Local Authorities has been a good starting point to build on going forward.

Dr Julie Higgins, East Lancashire CCG reported that she was leading on a piece of work on Health Inequalities on behalf of the Integrated Care System partners to make a difference.

It was confirmed that once the outcome of the national consultation is known and proposals are determined, then further discussion with the Health and Wellbeing Board will take place.

Resolved:  That the Health and Wellbeing Board:

(i)  Discussed the major proposals arising from the national consultation document Integrating Care: Next Steps set out in the presentation attached to the agenda.

(ii)  Noted that a number of organisations and local Integrated Care Partnerships have made responses to the consultation process.

(iii)Noted the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System response to the consultation in support of option 2: development of a statutory Integrated Care System body.