“Integrating health and social care has been an objective of national policy for more than three decades but has started to gather pace with the introduction of the Health and Care Bill, which is expected to put integrated care systems (ICSs) on a statutory footing from April 2022. Statutory ICSs will comprise two key bodies – an integrated care board (ICB) and integrated care partnership (ICP).

ICBs will take on the NHS planning functions previously held by clinical commissioning groups. Each ICB will produce a five-year plan for how NHS services will be delivered to meet local needs and this plan must take account of an integrated care strategy, setting out how the wider health needs of the local population should be met.

This wider strategy will be developed by the second key body – the ICP. ICPs are statutory committees bringing together the NHS, local authorities and other organisations, including those from social care, as equal partners to focus more widely on health, public health and social care.

ICSs are intended to promote equal partnership between the NHS and its wider partners, including local authorities and social care, but the history of previous attempts at integration suggests there is a risk that the NHS will dominate. Within social care, there is a particular concern among providers that they will be left ‘outside the tent.’

This practical guide, supported by Home Instead UK, aims to encourage partnership-working between NHS and social care stakeholders as ICSs develop. The suggestions it contains are based on The King’s Fund’s work with ICSs and a roundtable discussion, held with Home Instead UK, to explore these issues with stakeholders working in and with the social care sector.”

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