Beyond the vision: making integrated care work

ICSs can play a key role in developing whole-system solutions to workforce challenges by helping local partners align around shared goals, manage complexity, and use resources differently. By supporting system-wide leadership and collaborative approaches to recruitment, training and staff wellbeing, ICSs can create more resilient and effective teams. Find out more about realising the potential of integrated care systems.

Delivering co-ordinated care requires ICSs to share learning and foster cross-sector collaboration, breaking down organisational and professional silos. By cultivating leadership that is system-focused rather than institution-focused, ICSs can drive more integrated, patient-centred care. Find out more about the practice of collaborative leadership across health and care services.

Too often, valuable human resources are untapped due to hierarchical structures, siloed working or inconsistent leadership. To create a more effective, adaptable workforce, ICSs must embrace a decentralised, collaborative approach that addresses these barriers, encourages the raising of concerns, and drives the sharing of best practice and innovation. This will help build stronger, more resilient teams. Find out how your team can succeed with our online coaching programme TeamDynamics.

Explore how power imbalances affect partnership working and how local initiatives are driving change. We highlight key challenges, real-world examples of transformation, and both expected and unexpected impacts. Reflective questions are provided to help those in statutory or VCSE organisations, as well as facilitators, navigate and address power imbalances in their own partnerships.

Recognised as an essential part of local health and care systems, the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector plays a key role in supporting communities and improving health and wellbeing. Its scale and contribution make it essential in addressing both local and system-wide challenges. To fully realise the benefits of integration, ICS leaders must actively engage VCSE organisations as system partners and address longstanding barriers to collaboration. Find out more about how best to address barriers to better partnership working between ICSs and the VCSE sector.

The report is supported by a resource, A framework for addressing practical barriers to integration of VCSE sector organisations (NHS England 2023). This resource includes examples of approaches that areas have adopted to address practical barriers and detailed case examples drawn from different ICSs.

The patient voice is integral to health care as people are best placed to understand what they need, what is working and what could be improved. When it comes to listening and learning from people and communities, systems should be using a range of different approaches and methods. The Grenfell Tower fire is an extreme example of what can happen when public services do not listen to – and even disregard – what communities say they need. Our report on how the health and care system hears from people and communities describes a process of learning to work differently in a more community-driven way, with the relationships and leadership required.

Making best use of digital technologies not only creates efficiencies and reduces administrative burdens, but also improves service delivery, equality of access and health outcomes. Including the voices of patients and communities during development means that their needs are fully understood and trust in the technology is fostered. Find out more about the role of ICS leaders in designing inclusive and trusted digital health services with people and communities.

To reduce reliance on hospitals, there needs to be a shift in focus towards primary and community health care. This means moving beyond a hospital-centred model to one that supports care closer to home, where people can receive the services, they need in their local communities. Achieving this will require strong leadership, a cultural shift across the system, and the right implementation strategies. Learn more about how shifting care closer to home can become a reality.

Addressing health inequalities is a key priority for integrated care boards (ICBs). This goes beyond improving access to services - it's about enhancing patient experiences, ensuring high-quality care, and tackling broader social determinants of health. To create meaningful change, ICBs must, among other actions, give local place-based partnerships more control over funding and decision-making, allowing communities to design services that address their specific needs. Find out more about seven priorities to tackle health inequalities.

With challenges such as stagnating life expectancy and widening health disparities, the health of the population remains a major concern, making prevention more important than ever. Shifting towards a preventive model means focusing on long-term health outcomes, rather than simply responding to immediate care needs. Greater Manchester’s efforts to improve population health demonstrate the impact of a cohesive vision and dedicated action at both the system and local authority levels. Learn more about how Greater Manchester is leading the way in population health transformation. Find out more about population health in Greater Manchester.