Integrated care systems: More hands-off approach is needed to allow partnerships to thrive, say MPs

Integrated care systems (ICSs), the partnerships created to deliver more joined-up health and care, are hampered by too much central control and a lack of preventive public health voices, MPs have said.

MPs on the parliamentary Health and Social Care Committee have called for more autonomy to be given to ICSs so that they can achieve their potential. The committee published a report on 30 March in which it noted much optimism about the 42 ICSs that became operational in England in July of last year,1 but it argued that they needed greater freedom to achieve results their own way.

The committee’s inquiry into the subject found real enthusiasm for ICSs to be able to improve local health and care by working differently and more collaboratively with the various …