Update 3: 28 July 2021

This month the Health and Care Bill received its second reading in Parliament as it makes the journey through the legislative process. The Bill will ensure each part of England has an Integrated Care Board and an Integrated Care Partnership responsible for bringing together local NHS and local government, social care, mental health services and public health teams to deliver joined up care for its local population. You can read the health and Care Bill here.

The Bill has been assessed by our Partnership Board and will inform and guide the development of the BSW Partnership.

Our Partnership leaders held a meeting with NHSEI to introduce the BSW ICS Development Plan providing an update on the progress being made and areas of particular focus. The plan is in four sections covering Population Health and Care, People, BSW Organisation, Partnership and Governance and Transition arrangements as we establish the new statutory organisation.

July also saw the submission of the BSW Partnership’s draft System Oversight Framework (SOF) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to NHSEI .  This sets out the way the BSW Partnership will conduct system oversight during 2021/22 including the delivery and governance arrangements, financial governance and the role of place-based partnerships and provider collaboratives. It sets out oversight mechanisms and structures that reflect these delivery and governance arrangements, and local strategic priorities that the ICS has committed to deliver in 2021/22.

Stephanie Elsy has been confirmed as chair-designate of the BSW Partnership Integrated Care Board (ICB). Following a robust process, NHS England and NHS Improvement have recommended, and the Secretary of State has agreed, that Stephanie should be NHS ICB chair-designate, ready to take up the post from April 2022 should Parliament confirm the current plans.

Stephanie’s appointment follows the second reading of the Health and Care Bill.

The Bill contains a series of measures which would formally establish ICSs and give their governing bodies – including an NHS Integrated Care Board (ICBs) – a broader range of responsibilities, empowering them to better join up health and care, improve population health and reduce health inequalities.

The next stage of this process will be the confirmation of ICB lead designates, with this process expected to conclude later this year.

Looking ahead, the BSW Partnership has appointed Heather Cooper to the role of Urgent Care & Winter Director. Heather has previously worked with the Emergency Care Improvement Support Team (ECIST) and since December 2020 has been on secondment to the Vaccination Programme working as Operations Director at Bath Racecourse Vaccination Centre.

In our localities of B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire, our Integrated Care Alliances (ICAs) continued to work with local partners to explore the options for local or ‘place-based’ collaboration. All three Places leadership teams have continued discussions following a BSW Place workshop on 13th July. Plans to develop content of local Memorandums of Understanding are progressing well.