About us
Background
Integrated care systems (ICSs) are partnerships of health and care organisations, local government and the voluntary sector. They exist to improve population health, tackle health inequalities, enhance productivity and help the NHS support broader social and economic development. They took on statutory form following the implementation of legislation in July 2022 and comprise an Integrated Care Board (ICB) which takes on CCGs’ functions and broader strategic responsibility for setting healthcare strategies for the system. The ICB works with an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) committee formed jointly with Local Authority Partners. Together the ICP and ICB form the ICS. We are looking for candidates who will develop these systems as chair of the statutory ICB, and support the proposed establishment of each system’s new statutory arrangements.
Originally created as part of the NHS’s NHS Long Term Plan, there are 42 ICSs covering the whole of England, each serving between 500,000 and three million people. Each hold a substantial budget for commissioning high quality patient care and driving health and care improvements for their communities. The chair will lead a unitary board which will bring together leaders from across all parts of the NHS, local government, social care and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector.
Context
ICBs in England have four core objectives. These are to:
- Improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities in health
- Ensure consistently high-quality care
- Drive improved productivity
- Improve social and economic impact
In support of these four objectives, the Government has set out three strategic shifts for the NHS:
- Treatment to prevention: through proactive community and public health initiatives, working closely with local authorities, communities and individuals
- Hospital to community: Moving care closer to home by building more joined-up, person-centred care in local neighbourhoods, reducing reliance on acute care.
- Analogue to digital: Harnessing technology and data to transform care delivery and improve quality of care
The draft Model ICB Blueprint – and the 10-year plan – sets out the crucial role ICBs will play in delivering the three shifts and the wider 10-year plan.
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside
NHS Cheshire and Merseyside is the Integrated Care Board (ICB) for a diverse population of over 2.7 million people. Our nine 'Places' include Cheshire East, Cheshire West, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Warrington and Wirral.
Our ICB is responsible for planning NHS services in our region, including GP services, pharmacy, dentistry, optometry, and hospital care. We work as equal partners with local authorities, providers, and communities to support person-centred, joined-up care.
We are proud to be a Marmot Community and to embed the eight Marmot principles into our strategy to tackle the wider determinants of health. Our ambition is clear: improve the lives of the poorest fastest.
Click on the map above to learn more about each of our nine Places.
You can watch the video below to find out how integrated care in Cheshire and Merseyside works.