Health Management and Policy Alert

Innovation is key: early learnings from NHS England's discharge frontrunner sites

NHS Providers - 

Despite the best efforts of trust leaders and their system partners, discharging medically fit patients from hospitals in a timely way remains an ongoing challenge for the health and care system. The discharge frontrunner scheme is an example of how national support can empower leaders to innovate and test interventions targeted to local challenges and needs. This case study briefing is based on interviews with programme leaders from four of the discharge frontrunner sites to better understand their work during the first six months of the scheme.

• Briefing

Improving integrated commissioning in health and social care

Department of Health and Social Care -
This call for evidence views on changes to section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 to increase the use of pooled budgets to support the integration of health and care. It covers topics such as widening the scope to include additional health-related functions of local authorities and NHS bodies, perceived barriers to pooling of budgets, and strengthening and/or simplifying the governance of section 75. The call for evidence closes on 31 October 2023.

• Call for evidence
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

 

Local enhanced service commissioning through GP contracts

NHS England -
This guidance document sets out how integrated care boards can commission local enhanced services through primary medical care contracts.

• Guidance
• NHS England - publications

Delivering meaningful patient involvement: the MTG's guide for integrated care systems

The Medical Technology Group (MTG) -
This report looks at the variation in the instance and quality of meaningful patient involvement across the 42 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) of NHS England. It finds that there are often no patient representatives on decision-making bodies – such as the Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) – and that there aren't always clear consultation when decisions are made concerning a patient’s care.

• Report
• MTG - press release
• MTG - publications

Exploring and understanding the VCSE sector in provider collaboratives

NHS Confederation - 

The NHS Confederation wanted to better understand the way voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are working with provider collaboratives. The aim of the project, commissioned by NHS England, was to gather insight, elicit learning and share examples of collaboration in action. This was explored at an online learning event hosted by Lord Victor Adebowale, chair of the NHS Confederation, in partnership with NHS England and independent consultant Jessie Cunnett, and forms the basis of this report.

• Report
• More detail

Ambulance services and integrated care systems: lessons for effective collaboration

NHS Confederation - 

This report aims to examine the key themes and principles that should underpin effective and practical collaboration between ambulance services and integrated care boards. It sets out the findings of research involving a range of NHS leaders from both integrated care boards (ICBs) and ambulance services, and makes recommendations to the array of partners, national and local, that can affect change.

• Report
• More detail

 

The state of integrated care systems 2022/23: riding the storm

NHS Confederation - 

This report aims to provide insights into the successes and challenges of integrated care systems (ICSs) one year after their formal establishment. Building on the Hewitt review and through engagement with NHS Confederation members, it identifies key recommendations that the NHS Confederation believes will give ICSs the conditions they need to deliver for the local population they serve.

• Report
• More detail

System risk management: key considerations for evolving arrangements

Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) - 

Integrated care systems (ICSs) are developing their approach to system risk management following the enactment of the Health and Care Act 2022. NHS organisations and their partners are working to understand system risks, accountability and the impact on partnership decision-making. The fundamentals of good risk management are the same for both organisations and systems. But system risk management is more complex in that it requires partners to align their strategic understanding, risk appetite and risk management processes. This joint briefing from the HFMA and the Good Governance Institute (GGI) aims to support systems as they work on system risk management. It includes two case studies and sets out the key challenges, opportunities and considerations involved in effective system risk management.

• Briefing
• More detail

 

Transformative, not tokenistic: the patient voice in integrated care systems

NHS Confederation - 

This long read explores how the patient voice can embedded into system working in a meaningful and transformative way.

• Long read

Maternal mental health: a briefing for integrated care systems

Maternal Mental Health Alliance -
This briefing aims to help integrated care systems (ICSs) understand the role they have in ensuring every new and expectant mother receives the right mental health support at the right time, close to home. It finds that, if untreated, maternal mental health problems can cost an average-sized ICS the equivalent of £190 million per year. The briefing outlines why maternal mental health is important and explains the steps ICSs can take to provide the right support. It also suggests ten key areas in need of immediate action: universal services; NHS talking therapies; specialist perinatal mental health services; inpatient services; maternal mental health services; voluntary and community sector support; family hubs; baby loss support; tackling stigma; and reducing loneliness and isolation.

• Briefing
• Maternal Mental Health Alliance - news