Over recent years we have changed how we work and plan services in north east London to bring health and social care services closer together for the good of our communities.
We have a strong history of partnership working in north east London thanks to our North East London Integrated Care System (NEL ICS). This is highlighted by our ongoing coordinated response to Covid-19 where North East London Clinical Commissioning Group (NEL CCG), providers, local councils and community groups are all working together to provide the care our communities need in an efficient, effective and joined up way. Not only does this provide the best experience for our population, it also makes sure we’re making best use of vital resources.
We are making plans to formalise these ways of working in line with the Government’s new Health and Social Care Bill which outlines plans to bring health and social care services together to improve the health of our communities and their experiences of care. This will mean some changes to NHS organisations in north east London.
From July 2022*, the NEL ICS will be the collective term for: the Integrated Care Board, Integrated Care Partnership, place-based partnerships and provider collaboratives. The ICS is how we describe all partners across the system working together for the benefit of the north east London population.
*ICSs will now become fully operational across the country from the new target date of 1 July 2022 – this is a change from the previous target date of 1 April 2022. The delay is to allow sufficient time for the remaining parliamentary stages of the Health and Care Bill and applies to all CCGs across the country. Read more here.
Integrated Care Board
Subject to the Government’s Bill becoming law, from 1 July 2022 NEL CCG will no longer exist and a new statutory organisation – an Integrated Care Board (ICB) – will be established, which we expect will be called NHS North East London.
The ICB will take on the NHS commissioning functions of CCGs as well as some of NHS England’s commissioning functions. It will be responsible for the NHS budget and performance within the system.
In July 2021 Marie Gabriel CBE, was officially confirmed as the Chair designate for NHS North East London.
Integrated Care Partnership
An Integrated Care Partnership for north east London will be created as a formal alliance of partners with a role in improving the health and wellbeing of our residents. Together we will create a joint plan for improving health for our community and how services will be delivered in a more joined up way. We already work in this way through the North East London Health and Care Partnership.
Place-based partnerships
Place-based partnerships are collaborative arrangements involving the organisations responsible for arranging and delivering health and care services in a locality or community. They involve the NHS, local government and providers of health and social care services, including the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, people and communities.
In many cases they include other community partners with a role in supporting the health and wellbeing of the population and addressing health inequalities, such as housing associations, skills and education services, and local businesses.
In north east London we have seven place-based partnerships – City and Hackney, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge, Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest.
Provider collaboratives
Provider collaboratives are partnership arrangements involving at least two trusts working at scale across multiple places, with a shared purpose and effective decision-making arrangements.
In north east London we have emerging provider collaboratives across the acute trusts, mental health trusts, community care and increasingly collaboration across primary care.
This is an exciting time for north east London as we formalise our partnerships and plans to continue to support our population of over two million people to live healthier, happier lives.
We are following national guidance to prepare for these changes and are involving our staff, partners and communities in developing our new organisation and ways of working.
To stay up to date, and find out about opportunities to get involved, sign up to our newsletter by emailing nelondon.nelcommunications@nhs.net or join our Citizens’ Panel.
