The Integrated Care System – One year on

News - 31 October 2023

In this article, we explain the role of Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Systems, identify their different roles, and look at how Healthwatch works with them.
A doctor talking to a man in hospital setting

Following several years of locally led development, recommendations made by NHS England and the passage of the Health and Care Act (2022), 1 July 2022 saw the forming of a new structure for the planning and delivery of NHS services across England.

This involved the establishment of regional Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) on a statutory basis. The introduction of ICBs resulted in clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) being closed down in 2022.

As part of this significant change - one that many members of the public may still not be aware of - Stewart Francis, Chair of Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, took up a non-voting seat on the newly formed Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB). This opportunity allows us to represent your views and share your experiences of healthcare services with key decision makers.

What is the difference between an ICB and an ICS?

An Integrated Care Board is a statutory NHS organisation responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population, managing the NHS budget and arranging for the provision of health services in the ICS area.

Integrated Care Systems (there are 42 across England) are area based partnerships of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services, improve the lives of people who live and work in their area and tackle health inequalities.

So, what exactly does an ICS do?

An ICS generally includes NHS Trusts, local councils, voluntary and community enterprise bodies and charities. Integrated Care Systems also gather the views of residents, people who access services, carers and families, and Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough plays an important role in allowing those voices to be heard at our local ICS level.

Working together, their aim of these partnerships is to plan and deliver joined-up health and care services to improve outcomes and the lives of people in their area. Each ICS also seeks to enhance productivity and achieve value for money within the health system, whilst supporting broader and social and economic development.

Tackling health inequalities in outcomes, experience and access to services is a key strand of ICS activity, and an issue that our Healthwatch focused on in a report we published earlier this year and shared with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough ICS.

Being place-based allows Integrated Care Systems to design and deliver integrated services that meet the specific priorities and needs of their local populations. They also allow health and care services providers to collaborate and develop clinical networks and alliances.

Our work with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS

Julian Stanley, Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CEO, said:

“Our active engagement with the ICS means that we are consulted by decision makers about the various strategies they have put in place to respond to local need. We act as a critical friend offering guidance and input from the perspective of patients, families and carers concerning the choice, range and standard of services being funded across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. 

Julian added: “We record the views of the public so the Integrated Care Board and our elected politicians locally and nationally are kept well informed about key issues such as growing waiting lists for NHS dental services and changes taking place with regard to accessing GP appointment and services.”

You can find out more about the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System in this short video:

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