Health Management and Policy Alert

System Leadership in the NHS: learning from the North East and Yorkshire Region

NHS Confederation - 
The North East and Yorkshire region has developed a distinctive approach to system leadership based on the regional director working closely with chief executives of the four integrated care boards in the region, known as the 4+1 arrangement. This report describes the approach and demonstrates how how all parts of the health system are changing – NHS England, integrated care systems, places, and providers. It also aims to show that a focus on purpose, governance, structure, and incentives needs to be backed by an equal focus on effective relationships.

• Report

The state of integrated care systems 2023/24: tackling today while building for tomorrow

NHS Confederation -
This survey of integrated care system (ICS) leaders has found that while nine in ten are committed to shifting more care out of hospitals, there are widespread concerns that a lack of long-term investment and planning is holding them back.

• Report
• NHS Confederation - news

What can integrated care systems in England learn from the devolved nations?

NHS Confederation - 

Approaches to integrating health and care services to improve efficiency and meet population needs have varied across the United Kingdom’s four devolved nations. Given the differences in approach to integration across the four nations, the NHS Confederation, supported by Novartis, has developed this resource to showcase both examples of good practice and lessons learned in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

• Report
• More detail

Realising the potential of primary care provider collaboratives

NHS Confederation - 

The new Labour government has set out an intention to move care closer to home with a shift of resources to primary and community care. This report highlights the role of primary care provider collaboratives in supporting transformation. The report – informed by interviews with 20 leaders in collaboratives and two roundtables with wider partners, including integrated care boards directors of primary care, involved in their formation – provides the first assessment of primary care provider collaboratives’ structures, their future ambitions and what is needed to support their future development.

• Report
• More detail

The reality of, and potential for, digitally enabled care in the community

The King's Fund -
Could digital technology help move care closer to home? This long read explores how community services use digital technology and what the future could – and should – hold.

• Long read
• The King's Fund - publications

 

Enabling integrated care systems to work better

Institute for Government - 

One of NHS England's roles is to take some of the management of the NHS out of the Department of Health and Social Care. Since 2022 it has done this with the help of integrated care systems (ICSs). However senior officials in these bodies are still complaining about various forms of micromanagement. This short paper, based on interviews with those involved in ICSs, looks at how the new arrangements can be made to work better.

• Report
• More detail

Enabling integrated care systems to work better

Institute for Government - 

One of NHS England's roles is to take some of the management of the NHS out of the Department of Health and Social Care. Since 2022 it has done this with the help of integrated care systems (ICSs). However senior officials in these bodies are still complaining about various forms of micromanagement. This short paper, based on interviews with those involved in ICSs, looks at how the new arrangements can be made to work better.

• Report
• More detail

The Hewitt review: where are we one year on?

NHS Confederation - 
This long read explores the progress against key themes in Patricia Hewitt's review of integrated care systems (ICSs). It finds that the proposals set out in the review are still supported by ICS leaders and national partners as the right direction of travel to improve the population’s health, reduce health inequalities, improve patient care and get best value for money. It finds that some progress has been made towards aligning with the review’s principles and approach and in some cases implementing the review’s recommendations. However, it concludes that implementation needs to go further and faster.

• NHS Confederation - publications

People not structures: putting people at the heart of integrated care

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman -
This report claims that Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are not doing enough to put the vulnerable people they support at the heart of what they do. It details some of the things that can and do go wrong when people are not prioritised and local organisations do not work together effectively. It includes a recommendation for ICSs to agree a ‘person first approach’ where councils and health services work together to look at how needs can be met as their first priority. It also suggests that councils and health services agree standard frameworks for effective communication, focused on ensuring professionals on the frontline interact effectively and record all discussions and decisions.

• Report
• Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman - press release

Realising the potential of integrated care systems

The King's Fund -
This research examines the development of ICSs by assessing their efforts to develop system-wide approaches to the recruitment, training and retention of staff.

• Report
• The King's Fund - publications