Following the implementation of integrated care systems in July 2022 and to inform this new way of working, the Hewitt review has been set up to consider how the oversight and governance of ICSs can best enable them to succeed.
In line with this, the government is launching a call for evidence to gather views from across the health and social care system, along with views from patients, the public and the wider voluntary sector.
The call for evidence is based upon a number of questions and requests for examples, focused around several categories: empowering local leaders; national targets and accountability; data and transparency; system oversight; and additional evidence.
Empowering local leaders
A range of examples are sought, including examples of local leaders and organisations creating transformational change to improve people’s lives, and examples of policies, frameworks and support mechanisms enabling local leaders and in particular ICSs to achieve their goals. In addition, the call for evidence is looking for examples where policies have made it difficult to achieve goals.
It also asks what people think is needed for ICSs and their constituent organisations to increase innovation, and what policies or support mechanisms could best support active involvement of partners in integrated care systems.
National targets and accountability
Here, the call for evidence asks what recommendations people would give to national bodies setting targets or priorities, in identifying which issues to tackle and which issues to leave to local or system-level decision making.
Another question is “what mechanisms outside of national targets could be used to support performance improvement?”
Data and transparency
Examples are sought of innovative use of data or digital services being used at neighbourhood, place or system level.
“How could the collection of data from ICSs, including ICBs and partner organisations, be streamlined and what collections and standards should be set nationally?” the call asks, along with, “What standards and support should be provided to national bodies to support effective data use and digital services.”
System oversight
There are two key questions here; the first is what people believe are the most important things for NHS England, the CQC and DHSC to monitor, to allow them to identify performance or capability issues and variations within an ICS that require support.
The second is what type of support, regulation and intervention people think would be most appropriate for ICSs or other organisations experiencing performance or capability issues.
Additional evidence
Finally, the call asks for any additional evidence that people would like the review to consider, and notes that the Hewitt review terms of reference should be used as a guide to indicate relevancy.
The deadline to submit responses to the call for evidence is 9 January 2023. To take part, please complete the online survey here.
