Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of regional variations in patient and public involvement in Integrated Care Systems.

The NHS Act 2006, as amended by the Health and Care Act 2022, is clear that integrated care boards (ICBs) must make arrangements to ensure patients and the public are involved in the planning of commissioning arrangements or changes to those arrangements. Arrangements for public involvement, and principles for their implementation, must be set out in the constitution of the ICB. In addition, membership on the boards of integrated care partnerships typically includes Healthwatch and public representatives.

Whilst the Government is clear about the importance of patient and public involvement, it is permissive in how this is achieved. This ensures each integrated care system can develop arrangements that are best suited to local circumstances and the needs of the local population.