Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS integrated care systems are sufficiently staffed.

NHS England is responsible for the operational oversight of the transition from clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to integrated care board (ICB) structures from 1 July 2022. While staffing levels are the responsibility of individual ICBs, former CCG staff below Board level were transferred directly into ICBs on 1 July, in line with NHS England’s employment commitment.

At Board level, the Health and Care Act 2022 requires the constitution of an ICB to provide for a chair, a chief executive and at least three other members as the legislative minimum requirement. ICBs have the discretion to appoint any further members to the board. Local areas can, by agreement, appoint individuals with the necessary experience and expertise to fulfil its functions effectively.