We recently published an article about what NHS North West London does. Now we turn to the NHS North West London Integrated Care System (NHS NW London ICS).
The ICS brings together all organisations in the planning and delivery of health and care services, including local authorities (boroughs/councils), NHS Trusts (acute hospitals, mental health providers, community care providers), GP practices (increasingly working together as primary care networks or PCNs), the voluntary sector and Universities within our eight boroughs.
There are two main fora where these organisations come together. The first is the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) which brings together the eight local authorities and leaders from the NHS to agree a high level strategy to:
- improve outcomes in population health and health are tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience and access
- enhance productivity and value for money
- support broader social and economic development.
Members of the ICP are voting members of the NHS Integrated Care Board Board (see more detail below) plus one member from each local authority.
Dr Penny Dash and Cllr Nafsika Butler-Thalassis, Westminster Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Adults and Public Health, are joint chairs.
Dr Dash gives her perspective on the importance of the ICP and working with colleagues from local authorities.
She says, “Local authorities have important responsibilities in delivering social care and public health. Collaborative work with the NHS has always been important, but the ICP has created an importance mechanism which supports further joint working. We have had many useful interactions, and as we implement our five year plan, I am confident communities will see our efforts make meaningful differences in way the health and care is delivered in your area.”
Next week we will explain the role of the NHS NW London Integrated Care Board or ICB.