Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to NHS England's guidance entitled Annual assessment of integrated care boards 2022-23: supporting guidance, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring (a) ICBs and (b) NHS England to consult (i) patient support groups and (ii) other stakeholders before publishing their annual report.

NHS England conducted its first annual performance assessment of the integrated care boards (ICBs) for the 2022/23 financial year, from July 2022 to March 2023, and published supporting guidance for the ICBs. The guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/annual-assessment-of-integrated-care-board-2022-23-supporting-guidance/

As set out in the National Health Service Act 2006 and amended by the Health and Care Act 2022, while conducting the assessments, NHS England must consult with Health and Wellbeing Boards as to how effectively the ICB has contributed to the ambitions set out in the Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The guidance also indicates NHS England and ICBs should gather feedback from a range of relevant stakeholders, which may include:

- NHS trusts and foundation trusts;

- primary care providers;

- clinical networks and alliances;

- local Healthwatch; and

- voluntary and community sector organisations.