Integrated Care Systems come into force today - 1st July 2022

An Integrated Care System (ICS) is a partnership of organisations such as GP teams, hospitals, local authorities and other partners that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services. The aim of an ICS it to improve care for people, including those with multiple conditions who access a range of health and care services

ICS's are due to formally start work on 1st July 2022.  There will be 42 ICS's across England - ours is called South East London ICS. You can find out more about ICS's on the NHS website.  They will replace the current system of local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for planning and delivering care.

The changes are set to save an estimated £14 million each year nationwide by reducing the number of chief executives working in the NHS by almost 170.

Watch this short animation to find out more or visit the South East London ICS Website.

Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said: “Integrated care systems have the power to truly transform the way that we care for people up and down the country – not only will the NHS provide care when someone is unwell or has an accident, but alongside our local government partners we must also now play an increasing key role in managing people’s health so that we can catch more killer conditions earlier and save lives.

“Local areas are already doing this by going out into communities to spot signs and symptoms earlier in places such as sports clubs and betting shops as well as ensuring people can access community support rather than using 999 or going to A&E.

“Through these schemes, we are already making a massive difference to people’s lives.

Louise Ansari, national director at Healthwatch England said:

“The introduction of Integrated Care System gives us a unique chance to feed people’s views into the planning and running of services. For instance, we know there’s a desire among the public to see services closer to where people live, making them more accessible and truly at the heart of communities. When services act on the experiences of those they serve, it results in better care.

“We are committed to playing our part, helping create a true partnership between services and the public. A partnership where communities are represented at every level of decision-making, those facing the greatest inequalities are heard and there is an ongoing conversation about how we can make care better together.”