Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) aim to eradicate traditional divisions between hospitals and family doctors, between physical and mental health, and between NHS and council services. In the past, these divisions have meant that too many people experienced disjointed care.
Integrated care systems are new partnerships between the organisations that meet health and care needs across an area, to coordinate services and to plan in a way that improves population health and reduces inequalities between different groups.
Each ICS has an integrated care board (ICB) which has responsibility for planning local health services (previously done by clinical commissioning groups).
North East and North Cumbria ICB
On the 1 July, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) for the North East and North Cumbria became a new statutory NHS organisation.
You can read more about the ICB here and watch our animation.
The ICB is part of what’s called an integrated care system (ICS) – a way of working that will see all organisations combining their collective resources and expertise locally and regionally to plan, deliver and join-up health and care so our communities can live happier and healthier lives.
The ICB replaces and has taken on the responsibilities of the eight clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the region.
It is responsible for ensuring that high quality and safe health services are accessible to all communities and for promoting joined up health and care, improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.
An integrated care partnership (ICP) has also been established. This is a committee of the ICB and the 13 local authorities from across the North East and North Cumbria and is responsible for setting key priorities and developing a strategy for health and care.
It brings together local councils, hospitals, community services, primary care, hospices, and voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations and Healthwatch across the region.