Engagement of the social care providers sector in integrated care systems

Integrated care systems (ICSs) are partnerships of health and care organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up services and to improve the health of people who live and work in their area.

Engagement of the social care providers sector is strategically important for ICSs. It will be particularly important for Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) to harness the innovation and creativity within the care provider sector.

The overall aim of this piece of work is to contribute to the effectiveness of ICSs in bringing partners together to tackle health and care system challenges and improve outcomes for people and communities. Within this, our objectives are to:

• understand enablers, barriers and potential models/approaches that can support effective partnership between ICSs and the care providers sector
• build on existing processes for engagement of this sector at local authority footprint and at whole system footprint
• inform a national development programme
• support NHS England to listen and respond to concerns relating to ICS collaboration.

To deliver these objectives we expect the following deliverables:

• rapid review of existing insights into the challenges and opportunities, for example feedback submitted from the sector in relation to ICS legislative proposals and the ICP engagement document
• up to 15 interviews with key individuals from the sector, from the NHS, and from care sector national and regional/county bodies and associations
• a written report into the findings.