A guide to integrated care systems

You may have heard about the new integrated care systems in England – but what are they, and what might they mean for health and social care and support for families affected by dementia?

Each ICS includes:  

• an Integrated care board (ICB) – this has responsibility for NHS planning and budgets. They have replaced Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) – which were mainly run by the NHS and responsible for the funding and delivery of healthcare services 
• Integrated care partnerships (ICPs) – these are formed of the local authority, the NHS and other local partners and are responsible for developing a wider ‘integrated care strategy’ to meet the health, care and wellbeing needs of people living in the area 
• local authorities who will continue to have responsibility for social care 

How ICSs could benefit families facing dementia

Families affected by dementia often need to access both health and social care services – for example, their GP, hospital and Social Services. Many people with dementia also live with multiple other health conditions, each requiring support from a different service at the same time. 

ICSs should: 

• help families receive the right support for their needs 
• provide more choice 
• reduce the amount of times that families have to share the same information with different professionals  
• join up teams and services that are involved in a person’s care and improve communication between them  
• reduce barriers for people in accessing services  

One aim of ICSs is to involve communities and people with lived experience in decision-making. There should be the opportunity for people with dementia and their families to shape local dementia strategies and have a say in what services are needed.

Dementia UK’s view

Right now, it’s too early to draw conclusions about how individual ICSs will work, what they’ll provide and how effective they will be.

Integrating health and social care to better meet the needs of local people is a huge and complex task, especially as over-stretched and under-resourced services are still dealing with backlogs from the pandemic.

It will require a shift from simply responding to demand to planning and delivering care and support that meets the needs of the population.

We believe true integration can only be achieved through meaningful ongoing engagement with local partners and communities.

We know that historically and currently, at both national and local levels, dementia care has been a low priority. Dementia UK and our specialist Admiral Nurses will be working with ICSs to deliver better integrated dementia care.

We are calling on the Government to make sure the forthcoming 10-year plan for dementia provides enough detail to guide ICS decision-makers in ensuring the needs of all people affected by dementia are met.

Our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses work within ICSs in settings including GP practices, community care and hospitals. They have a vital role in supporting families with complex needs and sharing best practice in dementia care with other health and care professionals.

We are committed to increasing the number of Admiral Nurses, not just across all ICSs in England but also throughout the UK, so that no one has to face dementia alone.