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Report

Long read

Integrated care partnerships: driving the future vision for health and care

An in-depth look at the role of integrated care partnerships and what lies ahead.

  • Integration

Download the report $Icps Driving Future Vision For Health Care 0 867.7 kB

Key points

  • Integrated care partnerships (ICPs) bring together an alliance of partners concerned with improving the care, health and wellbeing of their local population. While ICPs have one important statutory responsibility – to develop, publish and keep under review their integrated care strategy – many are looking beyond this to develop a wider purpose.
  • ICPs are being thought about differently up and down the country, and vary widely based on local arrangements with place partnerships, health and wellbeing boards and broader system structure.
  • To find out more about how they are developing, the NHS Confederation’s ICS Network and Local Government Association interviewed a range of leaders to understand their views on the role and future of ICPs. This report captures what we found and spotlights several innovative ideas ICPs have developed in order to inspire and encourage ICP leaders. It also identifies seven essential characteristics of effective ICPs, and establishes three key purposes for that local leaders attribute to these partnerships, as: 1) convenors, 2) vehicles for change, and 3) challengers to the status quo.
  • The sheer diversity of ICPs demonstrates that they have benefited from the flexibility allowed in the legislation and guidance. Following this, interviewees were keen to see national government and relevant arm’s-length bodies:
    • give equal importance to ICPs as integrated care boards (ICBs) in their engagement and communications on key issues
    • drive parallel join up nationally to mirror and accelerate local integration
    • be driven by ICBs and ICPs when it comes to revisions of guidance on system strategies, encouraging a focus on delivery and outcomes for their populations.
  • The ICS Network and LGA will continue to support the development of ICPs through the jointly run ICP Chairs Forum, bespoke development support for systems, and a mechanism for ICPs to engage and inform national policymaking.