Review your approach to stakeholder engagement

Why this matters

The impact of these changes can cause anxiety among system partners, particularly as ICBs move towards larger geographies. The increased number of stakeholders resulting from the merger will also need careful relationship management. Building or maintaining close relationships with providers is important during a time of reorganisation, particularly as they will be expected to play a strong role in driving service redesign going forward.

What works in practice

Many ICBs addressed the increase in the number of stakeholders by mobilising their full executive and non-executive leadership to manage relationships, moving beyond earlier models where this was concentrated among a smaller group of ICB senior leaders. They also created new expectations about the nature and frequency of senior ICB leadership engagement with partners and stakeholders. 

One chair noted they were actively meeting provider partners to share their strategic commissioning vision, while their executive team focused on transition activity and internal pressures.

Advice from ICB leaders

• Start comprehensive stakeholder mapping as early as possible, identifying how partners wanted to be engaged and meeting in person wherever possible.
• Keep stakeholders informed and engaged in what the changes in the ICB landscape mean for them, and build new relationships as the number and complexity of partners increases.