Integrated care systems need financial freedom to meet local needs, says think tank

If the NHS’s integrated care systems (ICSs) are to succeed, the government and NHS England must give them more freedom to use their funding to best meet the needs of their local populations, the King’s Fund has said.1Two years on from their creation, and in light of the new government’s commitment not to reorganise the NHS, the think tank assessed how ICSs have developed so far. The 42 ICSs across England commission local health and care services and are responsible for more than £100bn of NHS funding.The research team interviewed 24 local leaders across four case study sites and carried out online workshops with chief officers of integrated care boards and leaders from the voluntary sector and national bodies.The team reported that, despite a difficult start, with staff and budget cuts shortly after their inception, ICSs have made some progress, such as organising well with local partners, scaling up and…
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