NHS and local councils plan to better integrate health and care services

Date: 26 June 2019

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Oxfordshire is to be part of new 'integrated care systems' created by the NHS in England to improve health and social care services. The new joined up care system also covers Buckinghamshire and Berkshire West.

The NHS and local authorities in the three areas aim to deliver a person-centred vision for health and care services, making sure services are planned and delivered as locally as possible. Health and care organisations will work collectively to bring better health outcomes for people and ensure effort is not duplicated or resources wasted.

Integrated care systems are already established in other parts of the country.

Louise Patten, chief executive of Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “To be part of the third wave of integrated care systems is a real achievement for Oxfordshire. Making integration a priority across the county and beyond, with health and care organisations working more effectively together, means better outcomes for people in our communities and offers the opportunity to get best value from the money we have available.”

 Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council and Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board said: “The move to integrated care across the country gives us the opportunity to really make a difference to our residents and communities. Locally, I’m convinced that working together in partnership with the NHS we will deliver huge benefits to the health and care system and will improve the health and wellbeing of Oxfordshire’s residents.”

Read the NHS England story here.

About integrated care systems

Local services can provide better and more joined-up care for patients when different organisations work together in this way. For staff, improved collaboration can help to make it easier to work with colleagues from other organisations. And systems can better understand data about local people’s health, allowing them to provide care that is tailored to individual needs.

By working alongside councils, and drawing on the expertise of others such as local charities and community groups, the NHS can help people to live healthier lives for longer, and to stay out of hospital when they do not need to be there.

In return, integrated care system leaders gain greater freedoms to manage the operational and financial performance of services in their area. 

Find out more about integrated care systems here.

  • Summary:

    New integrated care systems.

  • Transformation:
  • Date:
    26 June 2019